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1.0     ifKSBS 

^^_^^     It  n  7    » 

156  lii    mioo 

1.1     f.-^l^ 

1.25  j    1.4    1  1,6 

6" 

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V] 


'/ 


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CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHM/ICMH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  Microreproductions  /  Institut  Canadian  de  microreproductions  historiques 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notes/Notas  techniq  jes  6i  bibliographiques 


The  Institute  has  attempted  to  obtain  the  best 
original  copy  available  for  filming.  Features  of  this 
copy  which  may  be  bibliographically  unique, 
which  may  alter  any  of  the  images  in  the 
reproduction,  or  which  may  significantly  change 
the  usual  method  of  filming,  are  checked  below. 


D 


n 


n 


0 


n 


Coloured  covers/ 
Couverture  de  couleur 


I      I    Covers  damaged/ 


Couverture  endommag6e 


Covers  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Couverture  restaur6e  et/ou  pellicul6e 


I      I    Cover  title  missing/ 


D 


Le  titre  de  couverture  manque 


Coloured  maps/ 

Cartes  g6ographiques  en  couleur 


□    Coloured  ink  (i.e.  other  thi^n  blue  or  black)/ 
Encre  de  couleur  (i.e.  autre  que  bieue  ou  noire) 

I      I    Coloured  plates  and/or  illustrations/ 


Planches  et/ou  illustrations  en  couleur 


Bound  with  other  material/ 
Relid  avec  d'autres  documents 


|~T|    Tight  binding  may  cause  shadows  or  distortion 


along  interior  margin/ 

La  reliure  serr^e  peut  causer  de  I'ombre  ou  de  la 

distortion  le  long  de  la  marge  intirieure 

Blank  leaves  added  during  restoration  may 
appear  within  the  text.  Whenever  possib's,  these 
have  been  omitted  from  filming/ 
II  se  peut  que  certaines  pages  blanches  ajouties 
lors  d'une  restauration  apparaissent  dans  le  texte, 
mais,  lorsque  cela  6tait  possible,  ces  pages  n'ont 
pas  iti  filmAes. 

Additional  comments:/ 
Commentaires  suppl6mentaires: 


L'Institut  a  microfilm^  le  meilleur  exemplaire 
qu'il  lui  a  6t6  possible  de  se  procurer.  Les  details 
de  cet  exemplaire  qui  sont  peut-Atre  uniques  du 
point  de  vue  bibliographique,  qui  peuvent  modifier 
une  image  reproduite,  ou  qui  peuvent  exiger  une 
modification  dans  la  m6thode  normale  de  filmage 
sont  indiqu6s  ci-dessous. 


□   Coloured  pages/ 
Pages  de  couleur 


D 

D 
0 

D 
D 


D 


Pages  damaged/ 
Pages  endommag6es 

Pages  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Pages  restaur6es  et/ou  pellicul6es 

Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxed/ 
Pages  d6color6es,  tachetdes  ou  piqu^es 

Pages  detached/ 
Pages  d6tach6es 

Showthrough/ 
Transparence 


I      I    Quality  of  print  varies/ 


Quality  in6gale  de  I'impression 

Includes  supplementary  materii 
Comprend  du  materiel  supplimentaire 

Only  edition  available/ 
Seule  Edition  disponible 


I      I   Includes  supplementary  material/ 
I — I    Only  edition  available/ 


Pages  wholly  or  partially  obscured  by  errata 
slips,  tissues,  etc.,  have  been  refilmed  to 
ensure  the  best  po^tsible  image/ 
Les  pages  totalement  ou  partiellemAnt 
obscurcies  par  un  feuillet  d'errata,  une  pelure, 
etc.,  ont  6t6  filmdes  A  nouveau  de  fapon  A 
obtenir  la  meilleure  image  possible. 


Tl 
to 


Tl 

P< 
o1 

fil 


O 
b( 

si 
oi 
fil 
si 

oi 


Tl 

St 

Tl 
w 

M 
di 
er 
b( 

rll 
re 
m 


This  item  \^  filmed  at  the  reduction  ratio  checked  below/ 

Ce  document  est  filmA  au  taux  de  reduction  indiquA  ci-dessous. 


10X 

14X 

18X 

22X 

26X 

30X 

1 

\y 

12X                              16X                              20X 

24X                             28X                              32X 

tails 
du 

idifier 
une 
nage 


Tha  copy  filmad  hara  hat  baan  raproducad  thank* 
to  tha  ganaroaity  of: 

Library  Division 

Provincial  Archives  of  British  Columbia 

Tha  imagas  appaaring  hara  ara  tha  bast  quality 
posslbia  conaidaring  tha  condition  and  lagibility 
of  tha  original  copy  and  in  kaaping  with  tha 
filming  contract  spacifications. 


Original  copias  in  printad  papar  covor*  ara  filmad 
baginning  with  tha  front  covar  and  anding  on 
tha  last  paga  with  a  printad  or  illustratad  impras- 
sion,  or  tha  back  covar  whan  appropriata.  All 
othar  original  copias  ara  filmad  baginning  on  tha 
first  paga  with  a  printad  or  illustratad  impras- 
sion.  and  anding  on  tha  last  paga  with  a  printad 
or  illustratad  imprassion. 


Tha  last  racordad  framv  on  aach  microficha 
shall  contain  tha  symbol  —^  (meaning  "CON- 
TINUED"), or  tha  symbol  V  (maaning  "END"), 
whichavar  applias. 

Maps,  platas,  charts,  ate,  may  ba  filmed  at 
different  reduction  ratios.  Those  too  large  to  be 
entirely  included  in  one  exposure  are  filmed 
beginning  in  the  upper  left  hand  corner,  left  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  frames  as 
required.  The  following  diagrams  illustrate  the 
method: 


L'exemplaira  film*  fut  raproduit  grice  A  la 
giniroslt*  de: 

Library  Division 

Provincial  Archives  of  British  Columbia 

Les  imagas  suivantes  ont  AtA  raproduites  avac  la 
plus  grand  soin,  compta  tenu  de  la  condition  at 
de  la  nattet*  de  l'exemplaira  filmA,  at  en 
conformity  avac  les  conditions  du  contrat  de 
filmaga. 

Les  exemplairas  originaux  dont  la  couverture  en 
papier  est  imprimie  sont  filmAs  en  commen^ant 
par  la  premier  plat  at  an  terminant  soit  par  la 
derniAre  paga  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration,  soit  par  la  second 
plat,  salon  la  cas.  Tous  les  autres  exemplairas 
originaux  sont  filmAs  en  commen^ant  par  Is 
premiAre  paga  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration  at  en  terminant  par 
la  dernlAre  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte. 

Un  des  symboles  suivants  apparaitra  sur  la 
darniire  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  selon  le 
cas:  le  symbols  — ^  signifie  "A  SUIVRE  ",  le 
symbols  V  signifie  "FIN  ". 

Les  cartes,  planches,  tableaux,  "tc,  peuvent  Atre 
filmAs  A  des  taux  de  reduction  diffirents. 
Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grand  pour  Atre 
reproduit  en  un  seul  ciichA,  il  est  film*  A  partir 
de  Tangle  supArieur  gauche,  de  gauche  A  droite, 
et  de  haut  en  bas.  en  prenant  le  nombre 
d'images  nicessaire.  Les  diagrammes  suivants 
illustrent  la  michode. 


rrata 
o 


9elure, 
1  A 


D 


32X 


1 

2 

3 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

'W|  -SOiia  OHO-UVC  j 


moNia  iriHdvw4 1 
INnoWOlOHd  } 


DEVOTED    TO    NARRATIVE.     ROMANCE.     INSTRUCTION     AND     ENTERTAINMENT 


V6i..  XVI,  No.  21 


WILUAMSPORT,  PA.,  MAY  1,  1898. 


Story  C'OMPANtoN  Xo.  173. 


IE U TEN  ANT 
Ian  Camernn,  of 
the  gallant 
"Blatk  Watch," 
the  I^ird  of 
Errolton,  look- 
ed up  fi'om  the 
closely  -  written 
letter  he  had 
been  perusing 
I  with  n  short  sigh.  Hi»  (ilengarry  bonnet 
I  he  had  toised  on  the  writine-table  when 
l)ie  took  up  the  bulky  American  letter 
Iwhich  had  nrrivecl  by  that  aft«moon'(i  post, 
jiiiid  which  he  had  found  awaiting  him  at 
I  hill  private  quartera. 

Now,  as  he  leant  back  in  his  chair,  mcdi- 
Italively  returning  the'«lieet  to  its  envelope, 
I  the  bright  Spring  sunshine  showed  a  little 
j  furrow  of  care  and  perplexity  upon  his 
|broad,  lofty  brow.  His  eyes  fell  on  a  small 
nissivi  in  hi*  Up,  which  had  been  an  en- 
Fcloiure  in  the  other.  He  lifted  it  and 
I  sighed  again. 

It  was  addressed  by  a  man's  hand,  in 
liptawling  G«riutn  chanctert,  to  "My  Sis- 


ter Alix,"  and  invol- 
untarily an  exclama- 
tion of  "Poor  Alixl" 
came  to  EiTolton's 
lips  as  he  slipped  it 
into  his  breast  pock- 
et beside  the  letter 
to  himself.  The  latter 
was  in .  rounder,  bolder  caligraph.  which 
bore  the  signature  of  Roy  Henderson. 

He  walked  to  the  fireplace  and  stood 
with  his  elbow  resting  on  the  muntlebourd, 
look^.ng  down  upon  tlie  cabinet  photograph 
of  a  girlish  head,  with  an  aureole  of  light, 
fluffy  hair. 

Alix  llugen  was  Alix  Cameron  now;  but 
as  Krrolton  ga^ed  tenderly  upon  this  por- 
trait of  his  love,  as  he  hud  known  her  in 
the  old  days  before  she  became  hi»  bride 
three  short  months  ago,  his  mind  was 
dwelling  more  on  her  brother,  Francis. 

Francis  Kugen's  was  the  old,  old  story 
of  the  prodigal  son.  In  his  early  student 
days  in  Germany  he  had  wasted  his  sub- 
stance is  riotous  living.  Wlien  his  father's 
death  left  him  and  his  young  sister,  Ali.t, 
in  poverty  he  had,  alas!  swelled  the  ranks 
of  that  multitude  of  whom  Kipling  wrote: 
Wa  have  done  with  hope  and  honoti  w«  ure  lost 

to  love  and  truth. 
We  an  dnppinc  down  tlie  ladder,  mn(  b.r  nine. 
It  was  Ian  Cameron  who  reawakened 
hope  in  that  hungry  heart,  who  implanted 
faith  in  that  barren  soul.  He  who  had  fur- 
niabed  the  several  hundred  pounds  necea- 


sary  to  start  that  wasted  life  afresh  In  a 
township  of  California,  where  a  post  as 
organist  ond  teacher  awaited  Francis,  with 
whom  music  was  a  redeeming  passion. 

He  was  indebted  for  the  promise  of  that 
post  to  an  LriHuential  uncle  of  their  mutual 
friend,  Roy  Henderson.  The  latter,  a  med- 
ical student,  having  some  months'  holiday 
at  his  disposal,  had  volunteered  to  accom- 
pany Francis  to  \ortli  America,  and  to 
see  him  settled  ...  his  new  home. 

There  was  the  sound  of  a  carriage  stop- 
ping ia  the  square  below.  He  stepped  quick- 
ly to  the  window.  Yes!  it  was  Alix,  re- 
turning from  her  afternoon  drive. 

In  another  moment  hi»  young  wife  en- 
tered the  room. 

He  came  forward  and  kissed  her,  Oer- 
niuM  fashion,  on  both  cheeks. 

"You  have  only  jnnt  returned,"  she  said, 
noting  the  uniform;  "but,  oh!  you  look 
tired." 

She  spoke  still  with  the  pretty  Dresden 
accent,  grown  so  dear  to  his  ears,  and  her 
soft  voice  was  full  of  concern  as  she  saw 
that  unusual  grew  shadow  of  care  upon 
his  lace. 

He  unfastened  her  sealskin  cloak,  look- 
ing down  into  her  uplifted,  sympatbatiik 
eyes.  How  could  he  l/reak  to  her  tlu'' 
aorn  tale  he  had  to  tell 

"I  ani  rather  fagged,"  he  acknawledgc 
"but  it's  not  that,  dear.    I've  li#  V;;~  • 
from  Roy  Hendereon."  "V 

"Oh,  laa]  what  ia  it!"  ab*  Mv>.  .a 


-#' 


'  > 


■!»• 


i 


A 


•«>iM««aiM 


THE  NIGHTINGALE  OF  KLONDYKE 


lirratlileitHly.  "KrnmU  i»  not  ill?"  The 
ring  of  aiixifly  in  Iut  wurilH  went  to  Kr- 
i(iitoii'»  licuii.  for  lie  knew  it  via»  tier 
liiotliei'fi  rc'lapHi"  to  bygone  dimipation that 
abc  really   feuifH. 

"He'K  all  right,"  he  hnntened  to  reaBSiire 
her.  "Mere's  a  letter  from  him  for  you. 
Jtnt  I  fear  he.  is  going  to  disappoint  ub, 
ilcar.  Hoy'n  news  ii  a  bit  of  a  alioelc.  Fran- 
eis  ha«  rhiicked  the  appointment,  and  ii 
starting  oti  ,i8  a  digger  to  acme  new  gold- 
JieUls  in  Alimka,  in  Britiiih  Columbia,  called 
Klondykr." 

"I  Hhmild  not  have  so  much  fear  if  we 
rould  count  on  hi«  liciillh  and  persever- 
nncc."  "aid  Errolti.n,  intuitively  reading 
her  tliougtfl.  "1  Imd  «ueh  hopes  of  hi» 
IJirowing  heart  and  soul  into  thid  music 
liiiHinenK,  and  now  tliia  cornea!  A»  Koy 
KiiyH,  it  might  turn  out  all  ri^ht  if  only 
lie  did  not  lark  concentration.  ' 

"What  doeii  Koy  aiiyV"  she  aaked  faintly. 

"You  musn  I  mind  if  Koy  is  a  bit  blunt," 
Raid  her  huHband,  putting  Roy'a  open  let- 
ter into  her  hand  a  trifle  reluctantly. 

Slie  looked  ut  it  for  an  instant,  tlje  doae 
lines  danring  )in intelligibly  before  hertear- 
dimmcd  oyeH 


"Keud  it,  please,"'  she  said,  rery  low. 
And  V 
read  it. 


And  with  his  arm  around  her,  £rroltoii 


It  was  dated  from  San  Francisco,  and 
began,  in  Itoy's  racy  atylc,  with  an  account 
nf  thi'  voyage  acrosa  the  At'intie  and  the 
liltiniate  arrival  of  Francis  and  himself  at 
his  iintle's  house,  from  which  he  wrote. 

"And  now,  my  dear  Cameron,  a  most 
tinlooked-for  thing  has  happened,  and  I 
liurdly  know  how  to  aet  about  putting  down 
the  plain  facts.  We  have  had  the  fortune, 
or  misfortune,  whichever  you  like  to  call 
it,  of  falling  in  with  an  old  cove  who  is 
nnother  paternal  uncle  of  mine,  but  whom 
a  never  set  eyes  on  before. 
j  ''It  seems  he's  always  been  counted  a  bit 
ill  a  black  sheep — married  an  American 
gill,  ran  through  her  fortune,  and  when 
h]w  died  finally  betook  himself  to  regions 
unknown,  and  gave  his  relations  no  further 
trouble. 

"This  Spring  he  turns  up  at  'Frisco  with 
ro  end  of  a  yarn  about  the  millions  of 
gold  in  'AliiKka  wailing  for  the  picking, 
livery  iiinn  you  meet  has  got  the  Alaskan 
fever  more  or  less  acutely. 

"Poor  Francis  took  it  badly  the  first  set 
off,  and  (inully  Uncle  Mac  turned  his  head 
by  aa  offer  tu  sell  him  a  share  in  his  claim 
for  a  mere  song,  if  Francis  would  throw 
in  his  lot  with  the  mine  and  go  back  to 
Klondyke  with  him  to  work  it. 

"Between  ourselves,  I  think  it  was  a  bit 
of  bravado  on  Uncle  Mac's  part  to  lord  it 
over  my  Uncle  Dick,  who  thought  he  was 
doing  no  end  of  a  good  thing  in  gettinfr 
Francis  shoved  into  that  organist  post 
Niniply  on  your  humble  servant's  recom- 
nieiulation.  I  tried  hard  to  argue  Francis 
out  of  it;  but  it's  no  go.  He  is  under  the 
delusion  he'll  probably  prospect  and  strike 
II  claim  on  his  own  account,  make  his  for- 
tune in  0  month,  and  live  in  the  lap  of  lux- 
ury ever  after.  You  should  just  hear 
Uncle  Mac  and  him  vhen  they  get  to- 
gether! 

"In  this  new  Kl  iSorado,  I  am  told,  the 
private  adventurer  can  do  everything— find 
1  lie  gold,  work  it,  bring  it  away.  There  is 
iin  drawback,  no  difficulty,  no  danger— oh, 
nothing  to  speak  of  whatever!  But  the 
^^av  to  gel  there  is  the  facer!  Arctic  horses 
cannot  go  further  than  the  foot  of    the 

Jla^^. 

"  riic  journey  takes  about  three  months, 
and,  <\in  llncle  Mac  adutits,  the  life  in- 
volves iiii-eaaant  toil.  Packing  over  path- 
less moiMitnins, towing  a  heavy  boat  against 
B  five  or  eight-mile  curi-ent,  sleeping  how 
and  ^vhere  one  can,  shooting  i  ipids,  fight- 
ing gnats  and  mosquitoes  by  the  million. 

"Hien  digging  in  the  bottomless  frost, 
rnduriny  eight  long  months  of  cold,  which 
never  rioeti  above  zero  up  there,  and  is 
wften  eighty  degress  below;  with  the  con- 


tinual darkness  of  night,  rarely  any  lighter 
than  twilight,  to  outbalance  the  three  short 
months  of  perpetual  day  from  June  to 
September. 

"According  to  the  proverbial  understand- 
ing that  when  the  North  Pole  is  discovered 
a  Scotchman  will  be  found  squatting  on 
the  top  of  it,  I've  nade  up  my  mind  to 
sustain  our  national  character    of    enter- 

Erise  by  making  tracks  with  him,  my  uncle 
sving  offered  to  finance  me  if  I  will  come 
along. 

"As  you  delivered  Francis  into  my 
charge,  I  feel  in  duty  bound  to  see  him 
through  a  doubtful  business;  and  though 
it's  not  exactly  the  career  I  mapped  out 
for  the  next  year  or  two,  I  dare  say  a  med- 
icns  will  come  in  pretty  handy  in  these 
forlorn  desert  quarters,  and  who  knows  I 
may  come  back  to  bonnie  Scotland  a  Count 
of  Monte  Cristo  myself? 

"Break  the  news  gently  to  your  wife, 
and  ask  her  to  trust  me  to  look  after  her 
brother  as  if  he  were  my  oAvn. 

"I  have  not  yet  told  you  another  extra- 
ordinary bit  of  news.  Uncle  Mac's  only 
child,  a  girl  of  twenty  or  so,  is  going  to 
Yukon  with  us.  She  has  been  all  her 
life  at  a  school  in  'Frisco — been  trained 
for  a  singer,  and  made  a  great  sensation 
when  she  came  out  at  one  of  the  big  music 
halls  last  year. 

"A  venturesome  company  is  starting  an 
opera-house  at  the  rising  Dawson  City,  on 
the  Klondyke  river,  and  she  is  engaged  as 
prima-donna.  She  is  as  fine  a  lassie  as 
you  could  meet  all  the  world  over,  not  at 
all  contaminated  by  connection  with  the 
stage,  as  we  straitlaced  Scots  are  inclined 
to  expect. 

"I  pity  her,  and  don't  think  she  realizes 
the  peril  of  the  tour;  but  she  is  as  enthu- 
siastic as  any  of  us  to  explore  the  .lew 
country,  and  the  old  man  is  delighted  at 
the  arrangerient.  Women  are  rare  in  Alas- 
ka, so  it'"  be  the  blessing  of  the  lot  of  us 
to  have  1  >r  near;  but  I  hate  the  idea  of 
her  roughing  it  as  much  as  1  dicad  it  for 
Francis. 

"I'll  write  you  when  we  get  to  Skaguay, 
the  first  real  stage  on  our  way  to  this  land 
of  Ophir." 

Errolton  read  the  letter  word  for  word 
without  comment,  and  Alix  listened  in 
breathless  silence.  When  he  had  finished, 
the  tears  were  streaming  down  her  pale, 
beautiful  face. 

"Oh,  Ian!"  was  what  she  cried  then, 
"this  is  as  I  dreaded  always— my  brother 
may  disgrace  you.  You  should  never  have 
married  me!" 

He  lifted  her  dear  face  up  against  his 
shoulder,  and  looked  down  into  it  with 
grace,  reproving  eyes. 

"Alix,  my  little  woman,  don't  say  that! 
Whatever  happens  nothing  can  ever  come 
between  us  two." 

"It  is  because  I  love  you  so  I  would  not 
bring  you  shame,"  she  murmured. 

"And  is  your,  love  so  selfish  it  would  not 
let  me  share  your  trouble,  be  what  it 
may?"  he  rallied  her.  "No,  no,  Alix!  I 
own  I  am  upset  by  the  turn  of  atfairs;  but 
Roy  is  a  splendid  fellow.  We  could  not 
have  put  FranciK  into  better  hands.  And 
to  think  of  a  prima-donna  going  with  them 
to  those  outlandish  regions!  Hy  Roy's  en- 
thusiastic description  of  her,  it  sounds  like 
the  beginning  of  a  romance,  my  dear,  and 
we'll  lie  healing  of  a  wedding  one  of  these 
fine  days  when  lliey  have  all  become  mil- 
lionaires." 


CHAPTER  II. 

Roy  Henderson  had  been  attracted  by 
hie  fair  American  cousin,  the  rising  young 
opera-singer. 

To  tell  the  truth,  the  stoic  Scotch  atn- 
dent,  for  the  first  time  in  his  life,  had  al- 
lowed his  hsart  to  be  literally  stormed  by 
the  fire  of  Gowan  Henderson's  dark  eyes, 
when  he  bad  listened  to    lier    invitation 


from  belijnd  the  footlighta,  "Oil,  whistle, 
an'  I'll  come  to  ye,  my  lad. 

Despite  what  be  had  said  in  his  letter  to 
ICrrolton,  the  strength  of  this  sudden,  se- 
cret love  was  already  begidliinf  to  make 
him  look  upon  her  profession  with  all  the 
distrust  bom  of  a  good,  old-faahioned  up- 
bringing in  his  stern  mother-couAtry. 

Much  as  he  might  ordinarily  enjoy  the 
drama  or  opera,  when  his  personal  inter- 
est in  actor  or  siL,rer  was  aroused  it  was 
another  matter.  He  saw  the  stage  in  its 
worst  lighL  with  its  lurid  beguilinga  which 
spelt  moral  death  to  the  many. 

This  was  all  a  new  and  disquieting  ex- 
perience to  the  medical  student,  hitherto 
devoted  entirely  t«  the  cramming  of 
weighty  knowledge  and  the  passing  of 
exams. 

He  would  scarcely  have  owned  it,  even 
to  himself;  yet,  over  and  above  his  anxiet.v 
for  the  welfare  of  Francis  Rugen,  it  had 
been  the  prospect  of  Uowan  going  forth 
to  an  untried  future  in  that  distant  land 
of  gold  which  had  finally  decided  him  to 
cast  in  his  lot  with  the  gold-seekers. 

Perhaps  an  all-wise  Providence  had 
thrown  them  together  thus,  to  set  him  this 
task  of  protecting  a  fair,  unsullied  life, 
as  yet  so  guileless  of  the  world's  evil. 

Such,  at  lecst,  was  the  belief  which  dom- 
inated  Roy's  strong,  true  nature,  aided, 
doubtless,  by  that  mystic  enthusiasm  the 
dream  of  first  love. 

But  perhaps  it  was  only  when  the  little 
steamer  bearing  his  party  was  throbbing 
on  its  course  a'ong  the  'ovely  waterway 
from  Juneau  towards  Skaguay  Bay,  that 
Roy  reaUzed  in  truth  the  enorraitv  of  the 
hazardous  expedition  on  which  they  had 
embarked. 

For  the  hardened  pioneer.  Uncle  Mac,  he  " 
felt  no  misgiving;  but  Francis  and  himself 
— how  would  they  weather  the  storm  ot 
coming  events? 

There  had  been  little  time  for  reBection 
in  the  bustle  and  excitement  of  getting  to- 
gether their  mining  outfit  and  food  sup- 
plies. Then  there  was  Roy's  medicine- 
chest.  It  was  no  meagre  task,  to  meet  Ihe 
exigencies  of  the  long  Arctic  months  in\he 
far  Northwest,  where  they  would  be  en- 
tirely dependent  upon  their  own  resources. 

As  yet  the  Klondyke  was  a  new  coun- 
try, almost  shut  off  from  trade  and  inter- 
course with  the  outer  world,  and  each 
well-to-do  emigrant  had  his  tons  of  freight 
stowed  safely  in  the  hold. 

As  Roy  looked  round  on  the  cosmopoli- 
tan crowd  on  board,  lounging  on  the  great 
bales  of  hay,  chatting  to  the  accompani- 
ment of  neighing  horses  and  t'ae  Pity  of 
sledge-dogs,  his  heart  sank. 

His  eyes  fell  on  the  figures  of  Francis 
and  Gowan  standing  by  the  taffrail  engaged 
in  earnest  conversation. 

Francis  Rugen's  once  thin  and  sallow 
cheek  was  rounded  and  bronxed,  his  black 
eyes  were  glowing  with  animation  as  he 
emphasized  by  a  foreign  gestur*  some  point 
in  his  discourse.  His  companion  was  lis- 
tening with  evident  interest,  and  replying 
now  and  then,  with  a'  brilliant  amile  Hash- 
ing over  her  foir  face. 

That  girlish  form,  enveloped  in  its  neat 
fur  coat  and  Tam-o'-Sbanter  bonnet, seenieil 
sadly  out  of  place  among  the  heterogeneous 
ly  garbed  men  who  surrounded  it,  some  al 
ready  attired  in  the  rough  corduroys  ami 
heavy  boots  of  the  miner.  Her  featurei 
were  more  Scotch  than  American,  her  com- 
plexion clear,  and  glowing  wiiu  the  licit 
color  and  brilliancy  of  perfect  health 

Roy  was  startled  out  of  his  abstraction 
liy  Uncle  Mae's  cheery  Toice  at  his  el' 
bow. 

"They  two  mak'  a  bonnie  pair,  eh?" 

Despite  his  long  exile  from   his  native 
Lowlands,  the  genial  old  miner  still  i-e 
tained  a  strong  Dcottish  accent,  and  prid-    . 
ed  himself  sotnawhat  in  keeping  up  the    ' 
dialect  of  hi*  own   particular  birthplace. 
Hiis  was  a  cause  of  irritation  ot  the  more  t* 
refined  and  successful    brother    in    San ' 


'I 


!m!???!!!r*^r>''fV^ 


ii'l?!?t'?f  y  Wi'WiPJPPfy.^^^-v'f  J.JP^  .1  f  jPiiu  iJ  !ri^j.,i.J  >i.JJ.i,S9f  PPJIJ^  ,^  j!5CT:-'.' 


THE  NIGHTINGALE  OF  KLONDYKE 


8 


FranciKO,  to  whom  the  Mtpegraoe's  va- 
gariei  and  coarntrioitiei  had  ever  been  a 
lource  of  complaint. 

It  was  one  of  the  subtle  difference!  be- 
tween them  which  almoat  belied  Uncle 
Mao'a  kinihip  with  the  dainty  creature  he 
owned  aa  daughter;  but  by  thi«  time  Roy 
waa  well  uaed  to  hia  patron'a  homely  p«- 
cullaritiet,  and  loved  him  nona  the  leaa  on 
that  account. 

Yet  a  decided  fluah  of  annoyance  man- 
tled hia  boyish  cheek  at  the  moment,  for 
Uncle  Mac  had  given  voice  to  an  imprea- 
Kion  which  would  have  been  the  very  last 
to  aisail  himself. 

True,  yonder  well-groomed  German  had 
little  in  common  with  the  broken-down, 
(limipatcd  Francis  Rugen  of  older  daya 
whom  Koy  remembered;  but  :ha  recollec- 
tion waa  too  vivid,  the  reformation  of 
Francis  too  untried,  for  Roy  to  contem- 
plnte  with  calmness  the  vaguest  possibility 
ul  his  controlling  the  future  of  Gownn. 

Roy  knew  now  that  he  himself  loved  her 
better  than  all  the  world.  He  almost 
turned  impetuously  to  give  expression  to 
Ilia  thoughts,  when  a  nobler  impulae  stayed 
him. 

He  had  in  a  measure  sacrificed  his  own 
career  to  further  the  good  of  Francis,  ond 
wiis  his  generosity  to  fail  him  now  at  the 
I'rucial  test?  No.  If  tVancis  could  prove 
liimself  worthy  of  her,  though  his  own 
livart  broke,  Roy  knew  he  would  be  the 
lust  to  stand  in  the  way. 

"You  have  taken  a  wonderful  fancy  for 
I'Vnncig,  Uncle  Mac,"  was  what  be  said 
aloud. 

"Ay,  I'm  aye  on  the  side  o'  them  wha's 
back's  been  tae  the  wa',"  responded  old 
Henderson,  with  the  laconic  sympathy  of 
one  who  spoke  from  experience. 

Roy  said  nothing.  Francis  Ruben's  back 
had  indeed  been  to  the  wall;  and  though 
that  catastrophe  was  of  hia  own  making, 
Hoy's  work  was  to  see  it  should  never  be 
80  again. 

He  strolled  further  aft  to  where  Fran- 
cis and  Gowan  stood  bidding  each  other 
good  night.  The  grey  of  twilight  was  deep- 
ening, and  the  little  tent  city  of  Juneau, 
at  the  foot  of  its  mighty  snow-clad  moun- 
tain, was  fading  from  view;  while  above 
the  plough  of  the  engine  still  came  the 
(lying  echo  of  the  cheers  that  had  speeded 
the  ship's  departure. 

"I'm  going  to  turn  in,"  Francis  greeted 
Roy  on  his  approach.    "I'm  dead-beat." 

He  indeed  looked  somewhat  worn  with 
the  work  and  excitement  of  the  past  few 
dnvs,  and  involuntarily  Roy  thought  of  the 
greater  strain  of  the  journey  yet  to  come. 
The  next  moment  Francis  had  departed 
to  his  berth.  He  was  standing  alone  by 
Gowan's  side,  and  thinking  of  her  only. 

Presently  she  acknowledged  his  presence 
by  a  glance. 

"If  one  could  forget  this,"  she  spoke, 
with,  a  shrug  r'  her  shoulders  expressive 
i)f  her  surroundings,  "it  would  be  jtut 
lovely!" 

They  were  steftming  up  a  mighty  gorge, 
deep  and  dolorous.  All  was  aileuoe  H»ve 
lor  the  pulsing  of  the  ship,  and  now  and 
then  the  splash  of  a  salmon  breaking  the 
water's  glaiisy  Surface.  Far  away,  the 
snow-peaks  and  black  forests  of  Prince  of 
WalcH'  Island  roae.  an  unbroken  chain, 
across  the  grey  Pacific;  and  to  the  right 
snow  and  clouds  lit  up  the  bleak  steeps, 
touched  by  the  fiery  blaze  of  the  still  uD' 
vanquished  sun. 

This  was  Alanka  at  bat!  But  Roy  I'ui 
once  was  blind  to  Nature's  beauty.  His 
eyes  were  on  the  grimy  vessel  and  on 
Gowan. 

"You  ought  never  to  have  come!"  he 
cried  impulsively. 

She  looked  at  him,  her  brown  eyea  fall 
of  that  little  air  of  scorn  with  which  ah* 
had  somehow  com«  to  treat  her  stoic  kins- 
man. 

'And  you,';  she  said,  "why  did  yon 
come?" 


responded  ia  • 


Roy  felt  himself  flushing  like  a  school- 
boy. He  dared  not  tell  her  it  was  partly 
upon  her  acaount  he  was  there. 

"To  make  my  fortune,  of  course!"  was 
what  he  answered  lightly. 

"Well,  so  have  IV'  she  r< 
similar  tone. 

Roy  leant  his  arms  upon  the  tnffrail, 
and  looking  away  from  her  towards  the 
white  mountains,  with  a  dogged  expression 
upon  his  smooth  face. 

"It's  bad  enough  for  ua  men  to  go 
through  thia  kind  of  thing.  It's  not  fit 
for  a  woman  to  rough  it."  He  spoke  a  trifle 
brusquely. 

"Once  we  are  over  the  pass  it  will  be 
all  smooth  sailing  for  me,"  she  laughed. 
And  her  white  teeth  gleamed  like  pearls 
between  her  carmine  lips.  "I  guess  I'm 
not  going  to  dig  for  what  gold  I  can  get!" 

"You  lire  going  to  do  much  worse!"  The 
hoc  reply  broke  from  Roy  before  he  was 
aware  what  he  was  saying. 

Gowan  lifted  her  beautifully  arched  eye- 
brows. 

"To  sing  to  the  tune  of  nine  hundred 
dollars  a  week?  Really,  yon  are  not  very 
complimentary,  Mr.  Henderson!" 

Roy  bit  his  lips,  annoyed  at  his  own 
blunt/iess,  yet  by  no  means  reconciled  to 
that  roseate  future. she  depicted. 

"I  don't  see  how  it'll  pay  the  company 
who  are  running  this  venture  to  have  a 
singer  of  your  standard  up  in  a  mush-room 
place  like  Daweon  City!"  he  rejoined.  And 
his  grudging  tone  detracted  from  the  co- 
vert compliment. 

"Well,  aa  I  haven't  seen  Dawson  City 
yet,  I  reckon  I'm  going  to  wait  till  I  do 
to  abuse  it.  I'm  quite  satisfied  the  com- 
pany you  think  so  little  of  will  pay  me 
right  enough,  for  I've  got  a  signed  con- 


."If  oue  could  lorftt  this,  it  would  be  Just  lovely!" 

tract  trom  Count  Hubert,  who's  financing 
it.  I'm  beginning  to  think  it's  a  pity  I 
didn't  go  by  8i.  Michael's  with  him  and 
the  rest  of  the  troupe,  since  you  think  it'll 
be  such  an  infliction  for  dad  and  you  to 
have  me  along." 

She  turned  from  him  in  evident  pique; 
but  Koy  put  out  his  hand  impetuously  and 
Htuyed  her,  with  a  sudden  flush  in  hia 
frank  face. 

"Yon  know,  or  you  ought  to  know,  I  »m 
only  too  proud  yoi^  ore  coming  with  us," 
he  said,  in  some  hasty  coafusion.  "It's — 
it's  because  I  hate  to  think  of  you  Bingmg 
to  evairy  Tom,  Dick  and  Harry." 

Qowao  moved  away,  far  from  mollified. 

"How  real  Scotch  yoi<  ^re  in  your  old- 
werid  notional"    She  threw    the    woi-da 


over  her  shoulder,  with  pretty  petulance. 
"I  guess  I'm  glad  dad's  not  like  yiml" 

Koy  let  her  go  in  silence,  his  eyes  lixed 
immovably  on  tha  sword  of  silver  the  tiled 
sun  was  sending  through  the  lierv  clouds 
to  the  West. 

His  heart  was  hot,  his  spirits  strangely 
(lowucaat;  and  as  he  gazed'  on  the  wnii- 
drous  grandeur  of  the  scene,  invulunturily 
a  mute  "God  help  us  all!"  came  to  his 
lips. 

But  he  little  knew  how  great  was  the 
need  for  that  prayer! 


CHAPTKR  III. 

The  slow  trip  of  the  Lynn  <^anal  waa 
over  at  last,  and  the  real  e  cilement  of  tha 
journey  had  in  truth  bcgui  when  the  lit- 
tle steamer  dropped  anchot  in  Skngiiuy 
bay,  to  be  soon  surrounded  by  a  ileet  of 
row-boats  and  Biwash  canoes,  eafter  to  pick 
up  passengers. 

It  was  not  till  three  .  days  later  her 
freight  got  transferred  into  the  large  m'ows. 
Then  it  was  towed  in  by  row-boats  to  the 
low  beach,  en  route  for  the  Dyea  trail. 

As  a  recognized  pioneer,  old  Henderson 
was  followed,  by  one  and  all,  seeking  the 
advice  of  his  experience  of  the  route.  And 
the  genial  Scot,  despite  his  "closenesH"  as 
to  the  exuct  whereabouts  of  his  claim, 
freely  imparted  invaluab'e  hints  to  the. 
various  emigrants  bound  to  the  land  of 
gold. 

It  waa  Gowan  who  had  felt  all  these 
necessary  preparation  irksome,  and  fretted 
with  girlish  impatience  nt  the  delay.  It 
seemed  to  come  naturally  that  she  should 
claim  Francis  as  her  escort  whilst  she 
wiled  away  the  time. 

They  explored  the  quaint  settlement, 
bargaining  with  the  squaws  for  moccasins, 
mackinaw  jackets,  and  Indian  blunketH, 
which  she  impressed  upon  Francis  would 
prove  treasures  to  their  small  community 
when  they  arrived  at  their  claim. 

Francis,  who  had  felt  himself  of  little 
account  in  the  business  transactions  tor 
packing  over  the  trail,  was  quite  willing 
to  vow  his  appreciation  of  any  purchase 
Gowan  decreed,  so  long  as  the  choosing  of 
the  same  shouV:  keep  her  by  him  siMe. 

When  they  h^d  exhausted  this  diversion, 
he  was  all  too  ready  to  follow  her  in  ex- 
cursions along  the  lovely  valley,  llirouijli 
groves  of  Cottonwood  and  spruce  and  birch, 
or  by  the  thickets  of  alder  and  willow  by 
the  river  banks. 

They  conversed  in  German,  by  Cowan's 
request;  while  she,  in  turn>  taught  her 
companion  divers  idioms  of  her  native 
tongue. 

.The  time  was  fully  occupied  by  the  sev- 
eral proapective  miners.  They  had  to  ar- 
range for  the  somewhat  dtflioult  landing  of 
their  goods,  and  to  secure  the  services  of 
the  Chilcoot  Indiana  as  guides  and  lielp^ra 
in  the  arduous  task  of  packing  their  trans- 
ports over  the  great  pass. 

Once,  as  she  sat  by  the  swift  river, 
watching  Francis  playing  his  line  for  sal- 
mon, the  low  chirp  of  sparrows,  breaking 
the  |[reat  silence,  proved  an  irresistible  in- 
centive, for  Gowan,  too,  to  burst  forth  in 
sudden  thrilling  song.  Her  notes  sounded 
even  a  thousand  times  sweeter  aud  purer 
under  that  great  vault  of  heavcu  than  in 
the  city  music-hall,  where  Fiuncia  had 
first  heard  her  wondrous  voice. 

Involuntarily  the  angler  o'inndoned  his 
vocation  to  turn  to  listen  to  it  now.  And 
then  it  was  Gowan  who  stopped  short  h\ 
artless  confusion. 

"Say,  do  you  mind?"  she  queried.  "I  for- 
got all  about  the  fish.  There,  I'll  be  aa 
quiet  at  a  mouse." 

The  impetuous  reply  of  Francis  was  in 
some  words  of  the  old  German  Un-^-mmg 
of  the  "Lorelie,"  which  brought  a  pr«rtty 
blush  to  Oowan'a  fair  check,  and  router' 
the  speaker  himself  to  a  subtle  sense  of  u  I 
the  sweetneai  oi  her  charms. 

"Ahl  were  you  ever  in  love?"  was  Oow- 
I  an's  nest  naive  interrogation,  uttered    in 


167722 


nmftf^ 


nAi* 


p 


4 


THE  NIGHTINGALE  OF  KLONDYKE 


rliildinh  ri"ckleii«iie«a,  as  hIip  preimicd  to 
lead  the  way  into  tlic  townBhip.  Anil 
thru,  with  a  swill  leniHiiibiamu  of  hin  liery 
|iUNt  whiuh  tlushi'cl  hack  '.i|>on  him,  KrHiuin 
Hwnkp  ti>  thv  iiiiilHiiiniiifi'  iiiuiImfhb  of  thix 
luve-ilieaiii  int,o  wbiih  he  bud  uiicunHiiuiiH- 
ly  bt-en  drifting. 

But  was  it  only  niidsummpr  miidncsa? 
For  aa  he  made  unnwer  to  (Jovvnn  in  a  low 
nflinnative  Uicmi-  eyea  met,  and  Humething 
ill  <iow'an'8  glance  made  Fruniia  Kiigeu'a 
lieart  beat  faster, 

"Say,  ilid  slip  jilt  yon?"  sjioUe  (iowan, 
in  Hiii'li  tunes  of  aofl  syin|mlliy  that  thej 
robbed  the  qiipatloii  of  ita  bntsqiieness. 

And  somehow  Francis  Innnd  liimaelf 
poiiring  out  the  whole  stor>'  of  bia  imsl  in 
lier  ear  Ilia  love  fnr  Count  von  Nii  hish's 
fair  daughter,  their  brief  betrothal,  her  de- 
teition  jn  his  reverse  of  torlnne,  and  his 
own  reeklesa  nndoiiig. 

"If  J  ever  met  that  girl  I  ahould  bate 
her!"_<iied  (lowiin. 

"It'SVaa  not  all  her  fault,"  said  Francis 
C|iiii'Uly,  though  liis  pale  cheek  liualied  at 
the  warmth  of  ber  partiRanship. 

"I've  learnt  to  aee  things  in  u  different 
light  now,  and  the  count  was  quite  right 
to  Bay  I  wasn't  (it  to  come  near  ber;  but  it 
waa  her  own  brother  brought  me  to  ruin 
in  the  beginning." 

"Then  i  ahould  hate  him,  too!"  exelaim- 
de  Gowan.  "If  I  Avere  you  1  would  just 
love  to  be  revenged  upon  him  aome  day." 

Franein  caught  her  litle  aeaUkin-glov- 
ed  hand  nearest  to  him. 

"Don't  Bay  that!"  he  said,  with  a  look 
upon  hia  mobile  face  that  made  it  for  the 
inom,;nt  stronger  and  nobler. 

"I've  come  to  believe  in  a  higher  Kuler 
of  our  destiny  and  justice  and  retribution. 
'I'lie  fellow  to  whom  J  owe  everything  in 
life  taught  me  that.  I  mean  my  sister's 
Iniaband,  Captain  Cameron.  He  and  Roy 
Henderson  were  the  saving  of  me.  Tliose 
two  have  done  more  lor  uie  than  I  can 
ever  repay." 

A  little  curve  that  was  half  of  amuse- 
ment and  halt  of  scorn  flickered  on  (io- 
Van's  fine  lips. 

"I  did  not  know  my  Cousin  Roy  posed 
B<i  a  philanthropist,"  said  she,  for  it  was 
V  jnderful  how  the  mere  mention  ot  Roy's 
name  was  capable  of  rousing  ber  in'ita- 
tion. 

Wa»  it  because  E/oy  had  so  fai-  proved 
apparently  adamant  to  her  beguiling,  and 
even  ventured  to  disapprove  of  her  fasci- 
nation of  the  St  age '^ 

"Don't  copy  Roy  too  much.  Vou  will 
Oft  too  big  a  saint  to  care  a  morsel  about 
poor  me!"  she  broke  off,  with  quaint  pa- 
thos. 

"Care  about  you?"  he  repeated  impetu- 
ously, lifting  her  lingers  to  his  lips.  "It 
ever  1  believed  in  angels  on  earth,  you  are 
one,  for  you  have  given  me  back  niy  faith 
in  all  women!" 

And  then  flowan,  with  pretty  shvness, 
effected  u  change  of  conversation,  with  u 
deprecatory  ItHl*  laugh.  Nevertheless,  the 
flattery  was  dear  to  her  toqnettinh  heart; 
for.  111  truth,  it  was  such  that  she  had 
been  striving  to  win. 

A\'ben  they  got  back  to  ])yea,  Roy  met 
them  on  his  way  to  its  one  most  Important 
buiUling— namely,  the  store  and  post  of- 
fice. 

The  start  for  the  trail  was  all  but  com- 
plete, and  Roy  was  about  to  fullil  his  prom- 
ise to  Jan  Cameron  by  sending  oft  a  mes- 
sage to  go  with  the  steamer  by  which  they 
liad  come  on  her  return  jonnrenv  s,)uth; 
lor  it  was  the  last  news  of  their  welfare  it 
might  be  in  his  power  to  transmit  for 
many  a  month  to  come. 

Roy  eagerly  hailed  Francis,  whom  he 
knew  intended  enclosing  a  letter  also.  So 
(iowan  passed  on  alone  to  their  encamp- 
ment on  the  river  bank,  westward  nf  the 
«o-called  village  composed  of  dirtv  tents 
and  little  wooden  cabins,  crowded  close  tg- 
Setber.  ,_^ 


On  such  trivial  incidents  do  circum- 
stances hang! 

For  tiowun  little  knew  that  had  she  not 
parted  with  FiaiK  iy  then  the  ciinent  of 
Ixith  their  lives  might  have  been  changed 
forever. 

She  stood  for  some  time  watching  with 
amusenient  and  curiosity  the  gesticulations 
of  u  HinuU  group  of  gaily-attired  Indians 
outside  a  cabin,  whose  signboard  read, 
"Chief  pf  the  Chilkoots,"  it  lieiiig  the  abode 
of  the  Indian  who  controlled  most  of  the 
packing  orrangeinents. 

I'reseiitly  her  attention  was  riveted  by 
a  tall  ligui-e  in  their  midst,  whom  she  rec- 
ognized instantly,  de»i)ite  the  unfamiliar 
cononial  dress  he  wore. 

'J'he  next  moment  the  stranger,  too,  had 
caught  sight  of  Cowan's  fair  form,  and  the 
Indians  fell  apart  as  he  strode  out  to  meet 
her. 

"Count  Huliert!"  Cowan  exclaimed,  all 
the  surprise  she  felt  concentrated  in  her 
Toice. 

"You  see,  T  have  followed  my  star,"  he 
said,  possessing  himself  of  her  band,  and 
looking  ut  her  with  eyes  which  spoke  un- 
utterable things. 

"I  thought  you  were  going  to  St.  Mich- 
ael's," reinarkcii  (iowan,  already  recover- 
ing her  composure.  "Where  have  you 
sprung   from,    jiray'r" 

"Fiom  the  deck  of  the  'Era,'  just  landed 
five  hours  since  at  Skaguay,"  he  rejoined 
laughing.  "The  temptution  to  accompany 
you  overcame  me  ut  .liineau,  my  fair 
(jowaii.  1  pioluied  you  perhaps  stranded 
in  the  sonw-pass,  ho  I  braved  death  and 
perils  to  be  at  hand  to  look  after  my  prop- 
erty." 

"Do  you  consider  my  voice  dear  at  nine 
hun<lred  a  week?"  jioiited  tiowan,  who  had 
learnt  to  the  full  exactly  how  best  t^  play 
upon  her  employer's  feelings. 

"Immeasureably  dear,"  he  averred,  ignor- 
ing her  satire,  "for  it's  price  is  above  ru- 
bies, isn't  it?" 

lie  looked  down  eritically  in  the  fair 
face,  crownetl  with  its  piquant  brown  curls, 
capped  by  the  little  Tam-o'-Shanter  bon- 
net. And  (iowan  condescended  to  forget 
her  displeasure  by  meeting  his  eyes  and 
joining  in  his  gay  laughter. 

"Aud  the  rest  of  your  property?"    she 


"Then  yoa  are  '"oiiiit  Bubtrtf"  criei  fnnas. 
queried  sarcastically.  "I  suppose  you  could 
not  bear  to  lose  sight  of  any  of  it,  and  the 
whole  troupe  will  be  coming  this  way." 

"You  are  cruel,"  he  said  sotto  voce. 
"The  whole  troupe  can  be— drowned  in 
St.  Michael's  Buy,  for  augh'v  I  care!" 

"That  would  turn  the  Dawson  City  va- 
riety entertainment  into  tragedy  instead 
of  comedy,"  replied  Oowan,  with  a  droll 
air  of  rtflection  that  was  simply  irreiiitible. 


And  then  they  both  laughed  again,  and, 
having  arrived  at  the  Henderson  tents,  ah* 
said  prettily: 

"If  you  like  (o  come  in  and  have  pot-luclc 
with  us  you're  welcome,  unless  the  Hotel 
Jtoyal  tempts  you  in  preference." 

The  mention  of  the  rough  wooden  than- 
ty  bearing  such  high-sounding  title  waftiuf- 
ticient  tn  rousa  once  more  their  light-heart- 
ed merriment,  and  when  it  was  over  Count 
Hulwrt  observed; 

,  "My  temptation  lies  here,  I  assure  you" 
—with  ardor  enough  to  satisfy  the  -vain* 
est  of  houlesries,  "And  now,"  he  added, 
"I'm  off  to  settle  for  the  packing  of  mjr 
goods  and  chattels  with  that  arbitrary  old 
aboriginal  'Chief  of  the  Chilkoots,'  alia* 
'Chief  of  (^'heats.'  " 

"(Ml,  shame!"  she  reproved.  "Isaac  ii 
the  blessing  of  the  p|ace,  and  the  moat  am- 
iable, reasonable  creature  imaginable.  U* 
would  do  anything  fox  me." 

"Yet  know  this,  0  queen  of  our  heart*, 
I've  been  told  there's  not  one  of  these  red- 
skins, however  bard  and  fast  yon  cngag* 
him,  but  will  pitch  one's  pack  in  the  gut- 
ter and  pick  up  that  of  another  traveler 
who  offers  him  a  dollar  more." 

"Xot  Lulu,  1  reckon;  the  faithful  old  fel- 
low my  father  has  left  in  chanjie  of  hit 
claim,"  said  Cowan  stoutly.  '  You  should 
hear  dad's  tales  of  his  devotion." 

"Which,  with  all  due  respect  to  your 
sire,  let  us  hope  you,  too,  may  prove,  my 
dear  lady,"  laughed  Count  Hubert,  m  h« 
waved  an  airy  adieu. 

A  reply  that  somewhat  irritated  Qowan'» 
high  spirit,  and  kept  recurring  unaccount- 
ably to  her  mind. 

There  was  one  black  hour  in  the  futurt 
when  they  were  both  to  remember  it  tea 
well! 

CHAi-rjiH  IV. 

"You?" 

"You?" 

The  two  men  thus  apostrophising  each 
other  in  German  fell  back  a  step  on  the 
river-bank,  and  stood  face  to  face,  exchang- 
ing a.  stare  of  astonishment,  in  which  waa 
betokened  no  good-will. 

Count  Hubert  waa  the  first  to  recover 
himself,  and  gave  vent  to  a  laugh  of  forcM 
friendliness. 

"Ki.gen,  by  all  that's  miraculous!"  b* 
exclaimed,  still  speaking  in  his  nativ* 
tongue.  "This  beats  oil!  What  ia  .the 
world  are  you  doing  here?  You  ara  not  ia 
for  the  Klondye  fever,  surely?" 

A  flush  rose  on  Francis'  cheek  at  th* 
covert  contempt  in  the  tone, 

"And  why  not?"  he  answered,  •  tlifl* 
sharply. 

"VVhat  are  you  doing  here  yourtwlf, 
Hu " 

The  other  hastily  anticipated  hia  eld 
coinrade'b  utterance  of  his  name, 

"Count  Hubert,  owner  and  mana^ng-di- 
rector  of  the  Dawson  City  Variety  dnter- 
tainmeiit,  very  much  at  your  service,"  he 
said,  sweeping  off  his  smasher  hat  with  the 
swagger  of  the  student  of  the  olden  daya 
Francis  now  so  keenly  remembered. 

And  then  Francis  fell  back  still  further,    ' 
and  his  pale  face  went  paler  still. 

"You  are  Count  Hubert?"  he  cried,  a^ 
if  he  had  not  heard  aright. 

"It  surprises  you,  does  it?"  T7i:  the  ±u- 
swering  query.  "Well,  my  dear  fellow,  I 
am  the  Count  So-and-8o  fast  enough,  lince 
the  old  man  died  three  months  ago.  'YoH 
haven't  heard  that?  But,  between  l>ur- 
selves,  it  suits  me  to  be  incog,  just  et  pres- 
ent, so  give  me  away  at  your  peril!  Got 
into  rather  a  tight  fix  craaaing  awortk' 
with  a  fellow  at  Baden.  Stupid  affair,  for- 
get what  is  was  now— aome  woman's  bou- 
quet at  the  ball,  I  believe.  Anyhow,  I  raa 
my  man  through  and  had  to  cut  it. 

"But  I'm  in  for.  fresh  game  now.    See 
no  end  of  tin  in  it,  and.  lots  of  amusement    . 
I've  bought  up  the    going    concern  'of  % 
comedy  company  in  Triaci,  am  trotting 
the  lot  out  to  Klondyke,  and  have  got  ia 


i 


THE  NIGHTINGALE  OF  KLONDYKE 


B 


•a  b« 


loiu!"  h* 
is  nativ* 
it  in  .the 
ir«  not  in 


tuw  the  aweetciit  niglitinvale  you  ever  set  j 
fves  oil  to  fetili  digKei'H. 

"Slie'»  got  to  rauke  my  fortune  before  | 
I'm  (lone  with  lier.  I  expert  when  you  i 
»|iot  my  Cinwan  you'll  wunt  to  fiddle  to  , 
her!  Ha!  ha!  glorioua  idea!  Name  your  I 
own  dollars  a  week,  my  friend,  and  the  ! 
thing's  done!" 

"I  know  SVim  Hendenon  already,  and 
X  m  going  out  to  atrikc  oil  in  her  father's  I 
ilaini,  not  to  fiddle,"  said  Krancia,  with  a 
ttiihli  bom  of  annoyance  both  on  hia  own 
nci'ount   and  (lowan's. 

"Xo  offence,  my  dear  fellow,"  the  count 
liaHleiied  to  aver.  "Aud  you  know  the 
Hrndcrsona'^  Aeh!  what  a  omall  world  it 
is!  And  the  more  renaon  the  past  should 
be  blank,  eh?"  he  added,  in  tonei  meant 
to  bo  doubly  conciliatoiy. 

■"I'lio  past  and  1  have  parted  company 
forever,"  waa  the  ealm  reply  of  Francis. 
]tis  face  wai  pale  now  as  it  had  been 
flushed. 

".So,"  queried  the  other  indulgently, 
"like  a  sensible  man,  you've  forsworn  the 
false  Erica?  A  new  flame  perhaps,  eh? 
(.icing  to  make  your  pile  for  her,  and  live 
serenely  ever  after?  Well,  by -by.  See 
you  soon  agin,  no  doubt."  And  he  was 
away  swinging  along  the  river  path, 
whistling  blithely   as   he  went. 

Francis  Kugen  passed  on  in  the  opposite 
direction  with  a  lagging  spirit.  The  buoy- 
ancy had  gone  from  his  spirit  also.  His 
heart  was  like  lead  within  him. 

That  cruel  past  t'-it  he  had  thought 
buried  beyond  reach  .  1  sprung  open,  like 
a  yawning  abyss,  at  his  feet.  He  saw  him- 
self tottering  once  more  on  its  brink, 
drawn  downward  by  a  subtle  Influence 
sti'unger  far  thaii  his  own  weak  will. 

And  Gowan!  With  the  remembrance  of 
lier  his  brain  reeled.  Oh,  that  she  should 
be  at  the  mercy  of  this  man,  whom  he 
knew  to  be  unworthy  to  touch  as  much  as 
the  hem  of  her  garment! 

His  smouldering  love,  but  just  acknowl- 
edged to  himself,  burst  to  flame  in  that 
moment  of  passionate  desire  to  protect 
her  at  all  costs.  And,  now,  alas!  was  that 
in  his  power  to  do? 

Like  an  answer  there  came  in  a  flash  a 
realization  of  that  faith  by  which  he  had 
been  plucked  as  a  brand  from  the  burning. 

Yesj  so  surely,  even  in  these  far  wilds  of 
Alaska,  help  was  near,  ready  to  be  given 
"with  a  strong  hand  and  a  stretched-out 
arm." 

The  struggling,  terror-stricken  sonl  of 
the  weak  mun  prostrated  itself  in  an 
anguished  appeal  for  strength  and  guidance 
to  fight  to  the  death  this  evil  waiting  to 
asi>aiT  botli  himself  and  the  woman  he  held 
so  dear;  but  his  bittetiest  prayer  was  for 
Gowan. 

CnAPTER  V. 

It  had  begun  in  edriiest— the  terrible  as- 
cent of  the  Chilkoot  JJass. 

Three  more  days  hjd  gone  by  getting  the 
various  outfits  tran^poi-ted  from  D,vea  to 
^^hcep's  Canip,  the  \iA  point  at  the  foot  of 
the  summit  on  the  r>ver-bank,  before  the 
dreaded  steep  begins. 

Uouan  had  gi-owii  used  to  having  her 
sleeping-tent  pitched  in  strange  and  divers 
places;  to  fall  asleep  one  nii^ht  to  the  lul- 
laby of  the  bounding  rapids,  the  next  to 
be  hushed  in  the  almost  deathlike  stillnesti 
of  the  snow-mountain's  spruce-wood 
slopes.  '    «,  ' 

It  was  a  life  of  unparalleled  adventure, 
with,  so  far,  no  discomfort  to  speak  of;  for 
the  party  wa*  well  provided  with  every- 
tliiiHti  tieeemnrf  to  tuak«.  tbejoumey  fairly 
pleasant  and'  expeditious. 

And  Gowan  8  hiood  ■*'ai  rirte  of  constant 
Yivacity  and  amiable  endurance.  She 
prided  herself  in  proving  to  the  men  she 
was  a.^  able  to  climl;  as  tney.  ,  She  was  tb« 
life  and  soul  of  theit- tiinnber,  in  scattering 
ber  favon  broadcast,  audi' of  winning  the 
heart  of  each  in  turn. 

With  Count  Hubert's  advent  ibe-  bad 


come  to  know  her  conquest  of  l''riin>  in  to 
be  ciiiupleti',     for     he  followed  lier  about 
with  II  silent,  doglike  devotion  that  now 
Qnd  then  caused  her  no  little  rumpuiictiiin.  ! 
The  coquettish  desire  to  win  it  hud  almost  | 
lout  itH  charm  once  she  knew  it  was  heis  ' 
to  take  or  reject. 

it  waa  Roy,  stern,  unbending,  with  al- 
ways that  look  of  calm  disapproval  in  his 
blue  eyes,  whose  heart's  citadel  she  strove 
to  Ktorm  in  vain. 

She  gloried  in  fawning  to  fount  Hu- 
bert's lightest  wish  to  see  the  iiery  Hush 
of  annoyance  that  swept  Koy's  young  l'u<« 
thereat. 

Slie  claimed  it  as  her  prerogative  to  l)e 
worshipped  and  feted.  !Slic  looked  iipou 
it  all  as  an  innocent  diversion  to  wile  away 
the  weary  hours  of  the  Arctic  day,  and  she 
was  wholly  unprepared  for  the  I'ondeinna- 
tion  that  fell  nt  lust  from  Koy's  lips,  uu- 
able  to  keep  their  peace  louifer. 

These  days  seemed  like  years  to  Roy, 
since  that  ill-fated  morning  when  Francis 
had  come  to  him  and  poured  out  iu  his 
ear  his  knowledge  of  the  num  who  held 
Gowan's  welfare  in  his  hands. 

For  Francis,  in  the  allegiance  of  his 
.strong  gratitude  to  Hoy,  deemed  it  only 
Roy's  right  to  know  the  bitter  secret  of 
his  friendship  with  Hubert;  and,  in  doing 
so,  had  betrayed  on.y  too  plainly  the  love 
for  (jowan  which  tiled  his  own  breast. 

Roy  seemed  so  atoic  and  strong,  it  nev- 
er itruck  the  elder  but  weaker  man  that 
every  word  he  spoke  went  like  a  dagger 
to  Roy's  heart. 

She  must  be  warned  against  him,  Roy 
had  said  simply.  And  tiien  Francis  flushed 
like  a  schoolboy. 

"T  would  not  dare!"'  he  cried.  "She 
would  take  it  as  an  insult!  She  would  nev- 
er forgive  me!" 

Tlien  I  must  speak,  and  though  she 
doesn't  forgive  me  it  won't  much  matter," 
Roy  answered  grimly. 

And  now  he  had  spoken. 

They  were  climbing  the  great  white 
ridge,  nearing  the  summit,  for  it  waa  the 
third  'iy  of  their  journey  through  the 
pass.  For  ahead  the  fndiana  toiled  nimbly, 
bent  beneoth  the  heavy  packs  piled  upon 
the  guy  blankets  binding  their  shoulders. 

The  horses,  perforce  discarded  at  the  foot 
of  the  steep  trail,  had  Iwen  replaced  by 
sturdy  dogs,  dragging  the  sledges  laden 
-with  outfits. 

One  hu^  St  Remard,  owned  by  Fran- 
cis, had  conceiyed  an  ardent  affection  for 
Gowan,  and  now  had  fallen  back  to  trot 
in  her  wake,  ciuT>'ing  a  little  pack,  Indian 
fashion,  sagging  on  either  side. 

It  was  the  dog's  dumb  devotion  that 
paved  the  way  for  Roy's  blunt  speech. 

Roy  had  adiwitly  monaged  to  outdistance 
the  rest  of  their  party,  and  detach  tJowan 
to  his  own  especial  care— no  very  difficult 
manoeuvre  w^hen  Gi|wan,  somewhat  flat- 
tered by  his'  unwonted  attention,  wns 
pleased  to  r<i>ign  herself  willingly  enough 
to  the  anuntjjsment.  But  her  complacency 
wat,  short-livid. 

Roy's  heart  was  hot  with  the  memory 
of  a  .scene  imprinted  upon  it  the  niiilit  be- 
fore—the memory  of  Gowan  springing  \\\> 
at  (^ount  Hubert')  command  to  sing  a  cer- 
tain ditty  for  their  amusement.  They  had 
bee  in  the  midst  of  the  savage  desolation 
of  the  great  White  Pass.  The  icy  rocks 
and  stunted  pine-trees  had  eclioed  to  the 
chorus,  taken  up  by  the  rough  campaign- 
ers, sauatted  in  their  rude  encampments 
far  and  near. 

I  don't  want  to  play  In  your  y«rd, 
I  don't  like  you  any  more, 
was  the  refrain. 

The  flickering  light  of  the  oiliainp, 
swinging  fronv  the  tent-roof,  had  fallen  up- 
on Gowan's  uplifted  face,  glorifying  it  with 
a  halo,  out  o^ which  it  glowed  like  the  face 
of  an  angel.  • 

The  sight  b»4  filled  Roy  with  an  acute 
desire  to  spring  up  and  lead  her  awoy  from 
the  vulgar  gaw  of  that  strangely-assorted 


uuillei'ce;  but,  inoht  of  all,  fiuin  the  exua- 
peiuting  allentioiis  of  Count  lluliert, 
which  aroused  Roy's  resentment  to  fever- 
heal  . 

'I'lieie  hud  come  the  same  lixik  of  rap- 
turous beauty  on  (iiiwan's  lute  a(  this  niu- 
inent  ns  she  had  turned  and  bestowed  a 
carenH  upon  the  faithful  St.  Reruard's 
he.ul. 

She  wus  I'lnd  in  a  martin-fur  coat  and  a 
Tuin-o'Sliaiiter  cap,  froiii  beneath  Which' 
tJK'  little  brown  curls  of  her  sillcy  hair 
peeped  invitingly.  The  freshening  bre6/e 
had  fanned  the  pink  glow  ol  perfect  health 
on  her  chccliN,  swept  just  now  by  the  dark, 
curly  luulies  that  scarcely  hid,  but  inten- 
sitie<l,   the  light   in    her  eyes. 

Rf>y  found  himself  wondering  how  it  was 
possible  the  glory  rif  those  eves  coultl  so 
find  expression  in  their  lashes'  slender  line. 

"I  think  tlie  heart  of  a  dog  is  just  per- 
fect!" she  was  Fuylng  softly,  more  address- 
ing the  St.  Uernard  than  Roy.  "It  must 
be  beautiful  to  be  loved  as  these  creature* 
love  us!  1  believe  this  one  would  die  for 
me  if  need  be." 

"fve  no  doubt  his  master  would  be  will- 
ing to  do  the  some,"  said  Roy  dryly.  Then 
he  flushed,  haling  himself  for  the  jealous 
pang  that  had  prompted  his  impetuous 
words. 

He  saw  the  line  of  Gowan's  red  lips 
straighten. 

"1  dare  say  some  of  our  hearts  are  as 
true  as  our  dogs'  you  know" — he  tried  to 
soften  his  former  speech  with  a  touch  of 
raillery;  "we're  not  made  of  cast-iron." 

"I  think  .vou  are!"  And,  had  he  knowl), 
it,  there  was  some  bitterness  behind  her 
laughing  satire. 

''But  I'm  not,  really,"  he  answered 
earnestly  enough;  "and,  to  prove  it,  I'm 
going  to  say  something  to  you,  as  I  might 
—as  a  true  man  would— to— to— to  any 
woman,"  he  broke  off  lamely. 

She  shot  him  a  tnvift  glance  from  be- 
neath her  thick  lashes,  and,  nt  sight  of  his 
evident  agitation,  leant  on  her  alpenstock 
to  say,  with  insinuating  coyness: 

"Not  to  one  of  those  hideous'  squaws, 
who  daub  their  cheeks  with  brown  grease, 
just  as  we  on  the  stage  use  powder  and 
paint,  to  make  ourselves  look  pretty?" 

Roy  had  been  perilously  near  betraying 
himself;  but  these  woiils  of  hers  were  just 
such  as  he  needed  to  lash  him  anew  to  bia 
self-imposed  task. 

"I  was  not  joking,"  he  said  stiffl.v.  "If 
you  had  never  known  the  contamination 
of  the  stage,  you  woulc  understand  no  pow- 
der or  paint  could  '.'.er  .'nake  you  so  pret- 
ty as  you  are  without  t  lem.     You " 

Gowan  had  interrupted  him  with  a 
curtsey  of  mock  gratification. 

"We  grow  complimentary!  This  is  in- 
teresting! Go  on." 

"I  nm  going  on,"  said  Roy  sturdily;  "but 
you  won't  have  to  complain  of  compli- 
ments. 1  am  going  to  speak  plainly,  at 
peril  of  offending  you— to  warn  you  to  be- 
ware of  an  evil  influence  as  false  as — as  the 
very  stage  itself  that  you  delight  in!" 

(iowan  drew  a  sharp  breath. 

"Now  it  smells  of  liattle  at  last!"  she 
laughed,  "l  am  to  l)eware  of  an  evil  in- 
fluence as  fal.se  ns  the  thing  I  delight  in. 
Yes,  that  is  very  plain— more  plain  than 
police;  but  I  guess  I'll  make  no  rash  prom- 
ises, as  I'm  rather  at  a  loss  what  the  evil 
influence  can  be  in  thi»  lone  land. 

"I  don't  suppose  you  mean  it's  the  de- 
mon of  my  ovN-n  wicked  self  you  wish  me  to 
exorcise,  though  you're  so  very  outspoken 
I  reckon  it's  just  possiole." 

She  turned  and  looked  up  into  his  foca 
with  n  droll  air  of  bewitching  penitence; 
but  Roy  was  no  match  for  her  levity.  .r 

"Oow-an,"  he  said,  forgetfully  addreaaiaf 
her  by  the  name  imprinted  on  his  heart,, 
t'it's  the  man  you  call  Count  Hubert  I  dis- 
trust, and  ask  you,  as  you  value  /our  hap- 
piness, to  believe  I  have  reason  for  my 
warning.  If  it  were  any  good  I  would  en- 
treat you,  even  yet,  to  retract  your  yroM- 


^f.:-i 


Mi 


6 


THE  NIGHTINGALE  OF  KLONDYKE 


Im  tn  him;  but  I  aupponf  It  ia  quite  une- 

She  looked  at  him  in  antoniahment,  but 
^Mt  )ial  n  (iiittpr  of  necrct  kiitiifaction  in  her 
broiiHl. 

"Qiiitp  u»fleii<i,"  «he  rfp«atr(l  aaucil^. 
"fleiilly  your  nudacity  ia  amazing!  And 
whot,  i-an  jon  jiomibly  know  of  Count  Hu- 
bcil?" 

"K.nough  to  fir*  me  at  the  very  aight 
nf  him  neiu-  you,"  asawered  Roy  with  »om« 
lient. 

"Do  you  propoae  I  ahould  quarrel  with 
my  mnlmger  to  appease  your  jealouay?" 
she  lai'Khed.  "Oli,  the  conceit  of  you  lorda 
pf  creation!"  Tlien  all  at  once  she  let  her 
full  voice  float  out  through  the  ^reat 
whitonea*  in  the  uiooking  bravado  ot  the 
atirring  air: 

Ilka  laulf  hw  hfr  lidilit, 

Ne'er  a  ane  lia's  1; 
But  a'  the  ludi  they  lo>  ne  wt«1. 
And  wimt  the  waur  am  IT 

With  thi>  concluding  worda  alie  peeped 
lip  rogouiahly  ia  her  eompanion'a  face,  'llie 
action  wu«  fatal  to  her  triumph. 

An  iiiBtiint  before  Roy  had  been  earried 
nwny  by  tho  gloi-y  of  her  rich  notes,  the 
rapture  of  her  preaence. 

Now  he  suddenly  bethought  liimaelf  thia 
witcheiy  wa»,  with  her,  but  a  trick  of  the 
gtugo,  a  forte  of  the  "play-actor,"  whoia 
role  he  would  so  atenily  condemn. 

ilia  whole  nature  roue  in  rebellion. 

Vrancia-  himself— waa  ahe  not  striving 
to  bring  both  to  her  feet?  How  had  he 
evar  thought  it  possible  ahe  could  influ- 
ence Francis  for  good— that  his  own  heart 
could  Buffer  to  relinguUh  her? 

Up  faced  her,  almost  ilercely. 

"(tirl,"  he  began  in  ii  voice  of  thunder, 
"J  was  speaking  to  you  seriously  and  iji  re- 
turn you  Hout  me  with  your  foolery,  your 

Ilis  bnisnue  speech  stuck  in  his  throat. 
No,  lie  could  not  deny  it!  He  was  one  of 
the  "lads  who  lo'ed  her  weel,"  in  apite  of 

air 

(Jowan  had  tragically  lifted  her  handker- 
chief to  her  eyes. 

I  dt'ii't  wnnt  to  play  in  your  yard. 
If  you  won't  be  pTood  to  me. 
she  wliiinpered  in  a  piteous  little  voice. 

'I'he  I  lianu  and  dispair  of  it  was  irresist- 
able.  Hoy  found  himself  impetuously 
touching  the  hand  holding  the  handker- 
chief. 

"Don't  mind  roe!  I'm  a  brute  to  have 
been  so  rouijli  with  you;  but  if  you  only 
knew  of  the  (Icapicable  things  tVaneis  Ru- 

gen  has  toM  nie  of  this  man 'ITiere! 

I've  aaid-moic  than  T  meant,  and  betra.ved 
his  confidence,  but  it  will  be  sale  with  you. 
Won't  \l'! 

(iowan's  hanilkereliief  had  dropped,  and 
hhe  was  regarding  him  with  brilliant  eyes 
far  removed  from  tears. 

"You  dull  wretch!  'iVhy  didn't  you  tell 
me  beloie  it  was  Francis  Kugen  who  knew 
liimy" 

Her  scorn,  and  llie  conviction  that  she 
had  not  been  crying  fitter  all,  roused  Hoy's 
ire  again. 

"What  difference  does  it  make  which  of 
ns  knew  him,"  he  demanded,  "so  long  as 
Uie  result   is  the  same;  ' 

"The  result  is  not  tlie  same,"  ahe  an- 
swereil  ini|ieriously.  "Since  it  is  Francis,  I 
-I  undeisianil,  uud  am  convinced,  llefore, 
T  thought  ii  wan  simply  you  who  were  jeal- 
ous." She  luought  out  the  adjective  with 
a  little  glan(e  of  scornful  defiance  that  was 
so  iiuieli  more  fuel  to  the  Hanie  of  hia 
wr.nth. 

"I  am  quite  out  of  it,"  he  said  brusquely. 
Since  she  valued  his  advice  so  lightly,  at 
least  she  should  never  know  the  pain  her 
contempt  of  that  advice  inflicted. 

"I  warned  you,"  he  went  (in,  with  less 
calmness,  "as  any  decent  fellow  would 
who  hutea  to  see  a — a  friend  at  the  mercy 
of  a  man  like  the  count.  A  man  can  judge 
other  men  as  women  can't,"  Roy  added 
recklessly,  "and  your  calling  is  the  hardest 
ia  ttta  world  in  which  •  womau  can  kteji 


herself,  liku  Caesar's  wife,  alsivu  suspic- 
ion." 

Oowan  stopped  and  flung  herself  down 
on  tlie  precipitous  slope.  There  was  a  Hush 
of  mingled  anger  ami  niortilieutinn  u|)un 
her  lovely  face— anger  at  his  bluntncss. 
mortification  that  she  had  tailed,  to  sub- 
due him  to  her  ehanns. 

"llease,  that  will  do,"  she  said  haughti- 
ly. "I  am  at  the  mercy  of  no  one,  or  noth- 
ing, but  your  own  very  Iwd  tante  »nd  rude 
temper.  And  after  your  ilisparaging  re- 
marks upon  my  profession  I  refuse  to  go 


Key  Srti  two  shots  la  qiihk  taccessloa,   tita  a 

hufe  body  mat  rolllat  (town. 
another  step  in  your  company.    You  have 
quite  convinced  ine  how  iniicli  T.  hate  you. 
■fou  can  go  now.    I  shall  wait  lor  the  "oth- 
ers." 

tn  wluit  manner  Roy  would  have  met 
this  emphatic  declaration  of  war  was  to 
remain  a  mystery,  for,  with  sudden  and 
seething  swiftness,  an  avalanche  of  ice  and 
snow  hwept  the  precipice,  and  would  have 
carried  Oowan  with  it  had  not  the  Hi. 
Bernard  caught  the  skirt  ot  her  fur  coat 
in  his  teeth. 

Roy,  with  a  hoarse  exclamation,  flnng 
his  arm  around  her,  holding  her  in  n  tierce 
embrace,  whilst  hia  other  hand  clung  with 
desperate  clutch  to  the  trunk  of  the  stunt- 
ed pine-tree  against  which  she  had  leant. 

The  next  instant  another  cry  of  greater 
peril  passed  his  lips  as  the  cause  of  the 
eom<notion  flashed  upon  his  sight,  and  he 
had  to  let  go  the  tree's  support,  and  to 
stand  up  and  grasp  the  rifle  swung  arcoss 
his  shoulder. 

Two  shots  in  quick  succession,  then  a 
huge,  shaggy  body  rushed  close  past,  with 
a  bellowing  snort,  to  go  rolling  down,  dead, 
in  the  whirling  snow. 

It  was  a  black  bear,  stra.ved  from  its 
home  in  the  dense  growth  of  spruce-woods, 
and  driven  by  hunger  to  make  raid  upon 
the  first  traveler  within  its  reach  for,  as  a 
rule,  the  bears  are  found  to  be  compara- 
tively inofl'ensive  in  the  early  part  of  the 
Summer. 

At  least,  such  was  the  explanation  with 
which  Roy  sought  to  assure  the  terrified 
girl,  who,  at  the  critical  moment,  had 
proved  herself  as  brave  as  himself;  but, 
now  the  reaction  had  come,  she  clung  to 
him,  sobbing  with  an  hysterical  emotion 
that  unmanned  Hoy  far  more  than  that 
hideous  peril  which  was  past  and  one. 

Wild  words  oi  paasionate    love    luiged 


to  his  lips,  to  be  as  instantly  repre«se<l 
with  the  stei-n,  stoic  control  which  comes 
naturally  to  the  hardened  Northerner. 

Hoy  put  her  out  of  hia  arms  calmly,  al- 
most coldly,  for  had  ah*  not  paid  she  hated 
him?  '••■'  the  memory  of  those  words 
could  never  „,  efl'arrd.  Nothing  he  could 
say  would  undo  them.  It  waa  not  his  na- 
ture to  plead  for  pity  in  place  of  acorn. 

He  supported  her  to  the  fallen  tree,  and 
stood  over  her  consolingly,  though  now  he 
spgke  no  word.  It  sceincd  like  hours,  or 
even  days,  since  her  tongue  had  dealt  him 
that  stinging  lash. 

Would  ahe  not  acknowledge  its  cruelty 
and  retrnct  it  even  yet? 

He  looked  down  upon  her  and  waited, 
expectant,  breathless. 

The  rest  of  the  party,  alarmed  by  the 
rifle-shots,  were  hastening  towards  them 
in  onca  and  twos  up  the  aloi>o. 

Far  away  eastward  came  a  glimpse  ol 
the  long,  narrow  valley,  studded  with  in- 
terniinuble  lakes  and  streams,  stretching 
neaiTr  and  nearer  to  the  golden  V'likon. 

A  great  yearning  came  upon  Roy  as  he 
stood  there  in  the  white  silence  to  lake 
(iowan's  hand  and  turn  back  yet  from  the 
far-off  goal.  'J'bere  would  viewer  eoine  to 
them  another  moment  in  life  like  this,  lie 
knew  it  only  too  well.  Hut  his  lips  were 
sealed. 

Her  sobs  ceased,  and  she  looked  up  in 
his  face. 

"I've  lost  my  alpenstock,"  she  said  trag- 
ically. 

The  remark  fell  upon  Roy  like  a  shock. 

He  had  been  waiting,  waiting  for  some 
words  of  pleading  contrition,  and  thia  was 
all  that  was  in  her  thoughts! 

His  smooth  lips  took  a  sterner  line,  his 
bronzed  cheek  blanched  ever  so  little.  It 
seemed  as  if  something  in  hia  heart  had 
snapped. 

And  tiowan!  By  that  strange  affinity 
with  which  the  thoughts  of  others  are 
sometimes  borne  in  upon  our  brain,  as 
she  gazed  up  in  his  clear-cut,  boyish  face 
she  read  all  she  had  expected  and  hoped. 

She  arose  impetuously.  She  would  have 
cried  out  "l''orgive  me!  I  never  meant  I 
hated  you!"  but  pride  intervened.  He  had 
refused  to  yield  to  her  beguiling,  he  held 
her  profession  in  distrust  and  disdain. 
Nothing  could  remove  tho  sting  of  that— 
not  even  the  saving  of  her  life! 

"How  can  I  ever  manage  without  my 
alpenstock?''  was  what  she  exiaimed. 

"You  must  take  my  hand,"  said  Roy, 
holding  it  out.     But  he  spoke  coldly. 

"1  suppose  I  have  got  to,"  rejoined 
Oowan,  with  a  fine  air  of  reluctance.  And 
she  looked  down  at  her  nioccasin-clod  little 
feet,  pouting  prettily. 

Roy's  arm  dropped.  He  leant  his  back 
to  a  jutting  ridge  of  rough  trachyte. 

"We'll  wait  for  the  rest  I  dare  say 
they  can  help  us  out  of  the  difficulty,"  he 
said,  so  brusquely  that  Uowon,  with  a 
sense  of  pique  and  outraged  pride,  turned 
her  attention  forthwith  to  the  dog,  fawn- 
ing upon  him,  and  addressing  him  by 
divers  endearing  epithets,  for  having  come 
to  her  rescue  in  the  whirling  snow. 

Roy  stood  silent,  gazing  blindly  over  the 
great  white  world. 

Tlie  supreme  moment  had  romeandgone. 
She  had  not  spoken,  and  they  could  never 
be  just  the  same  to  each  other  any  more. 

CHAPTKR  Vr. 

Dawson  City  in  the  autiunn  of  '97  waa 
not  the  quiet  haven  on  the  river-bank  it 
may  possibly  have  been  before  the  magio 
name  of  Klondyke  had  lured  prospectors 
to  flock  thither  from  the  now  deserted  me- 
tropolis of  Circle  City. 

It  was  a  lai-ge  encampment  of  log  huts, 
Mb  up  in  fifty-ftet  ttreets— by  name,  First 
Avenue,  Second  Avenue,  and  to  on— and 
boasting.-a  popnlation  of  four  thousand 
souls. 

There  were  supply  stores  and  teatau< 
ranta;  aad  there  were  banks,  -where  bag* 


itljr  r<'preiii<«<l 
1  which  comes 
ortlipnier. 
•ni«  calmly,  al- 
pnid  ahe  hated 
r  thoiie  word* 
Ihinit  he  could 
'im  not  his  na- 
ce  of  icom. 
alien  tree,  and 
hough  now  ha 
like  houni,  or 
had  dealt  him 

Ige  it«  cruelty 

r  and  waited, 

urmcd  by  the 
towurUH  them 
pe. 
a  gliinpae  o( 
ddcd  witli  in- 
iR,  Hi  retching 
Iden  Yukon, 
ion  Roy  an  he 
lence  to  take 
t  yet  from  tlie 
ie\er  coine  to 
like  thin.  He 
hi*  lipa  were 

looked  up  in 

ahe  aaid  trng- 

like  a  aliook. 

ting  for  Home 

and  this  wan 

?mep  line,  liia 
'  8o  little.  It 
bia  heart  hud 

ange  affinity 
others  are 
>ur  brain,  as 
;,  boyiah  face 
d  and  hoped, 
e  would  have 
ever  meant  I 
ened.  Ha  had 
ling,  he  held 
and  diadain. 
ing  of  that— 
ife! 

without    my 
xiaimed. 
,"  said  Roy, 
coldly. 

o,"  rejoine<l 
uctance.  And 
Bin<lad  little 

ant  hU  back 

ichyte. 

1    dare    say 

liffioulty,"  he 

ran,  with     a 

pride,  turned 

e  dog,  fawn- 

ng    him    l^ 

having  come 

snow. 

idly  over  the 

3me  and  gone. 
'  could  never 
'  any  more. 


a  of  '97  wae 
river-bank  it 
•e  the  magie 
prospectom 
deserted  me- 

of  log  huts, 

name,  First 

so  on— and 

II'    thousand 

and  leatau- 
where  bagfl 


THE  NIGHTINGALE  OF  KLONDYKE 


.  rniiniied  with  golrMuat  were  stacked  be- 
neath the  cnunlers,  waiting  to  be  claimed 
Im  their  juhilai.*  owners;  where  money 
wuH  lent  to  leas  fortunate  miners  at  niiu- 
(iim  rates  of  interest,  to  be  paid  up  with 
llic  produce  of  their  winter's  work,  when, 
Ijv  till-  aid  of  firts  to  thaw  the  ttinty 
Ki'oiind,  ii  should  be  possible  to  glean  the 
liaiveit  of  their  claims. 

There  were  gin-palaces  also,  where  the 
falsi  "firewater  prured  more  freely  than 
I  he  purer  beverage,  which  was  sU  the  (n- 
ili.ins  once  knew.  Huloons,  where  by  night 
Ihe  kerosene-lsrops  blazed  wierdly,  in  rival- 
ly  to  the  garish  Arctic  twilight,  and  rough 
men  and  women  drank  and  danced  and 
liiimbled  and  lost  and  won  fortunes,  for 
which  they  bad  so  toiled  in  vain. 

Uiie  of  these  saloons,  in  the  heart  o{  the 
lunnship,  was  i.  double-roomed  log  build- 
ing of  large  dimensions. 

Aliove  the  doorway  in  imposing  letters 
it  liore  the  sign  "Dnwson  (!ily  \nriety  Kn- 
tertainmrnt  llall,"     and    in     red-painted 
|iu)<ters  adorning  either  aide  was  the  tltiring 
nniiouncement,  which   had  been     painteil 
I  litre  some  live  montha  previously: 
OOWAN  IB  rOMINQI 
WHO  IS  (lOWAN? 
OOWAN  IS  OUR  STAB  I 

Within  the  walls  were  festooned  with 
flngs  and  Chinese  lanterns. 

It  was  filrnished  with  rows  of  benches 
round  about,  and  at  one  end  was  a  gaudy 
xtage,  twinkling  with  footlights,  and  boast- 
ing of  a  marvelous  drop-scene.  A  grand 
piano  stood  in  the  corner.  The  rest  of  the 
orchestra  consiated  of  a  guitar,  two  violins, 
a  "cello,  and  divers  wind  instruments, 
manipulated  by  artists  of  varying  stand- 
ards. 

In  their  midst  Gowan  Henderson  flitted 
and  thrilled  like  a  radiantly  bedizened 
nightingale.  Her  presence  was  the  lode- 
stone  to  bring  many  a  digger  tramping  in 
from  cftttp  a  doien  miles  away,  night  af- 
ter night.  Too  often,  alas!  he  retired  to 
the  enticing  bar  adjoining,  when  the  bund 
at  last  struck  up  "Lights  out." 

It  was  at  such  an  hour  one  night  in 
October  that  Qowan  stepped  out  at  the 
stage-door  of  the  Variety  Hall,  to  find 
Count  Hubert  standing  in  place  of  her  us- 
ual escort,  the  faithful  Indian,  Lulu. 

He  was  waiting  there  to  accompany  her 
home  to  the  neat,  pine-roUed,  canvasa- 
roofed  hut  on  the  outskirts  of  the  town, 
wher  old  Henderson  had  established  his 
daughter  under  the  care  of  Lulu  and  the 
Californian  ayah  who  had  "mothered" 
(Jowan,  and  braved  all  the  terrors  of.  the 
far  Northwest  to  serve  her  darling  still. 

Uncle  Mac  himself  sojourned  between 
Oowan's  home  and  the  ruder  shanties  on 
Bonanza  Creek,  where  Koy  and  Francis  had 
toiled  through  thelong,hot  ijummermonths 
with  pick  and  shovel,  at  the  windlass  and 
bucket. 

And  now  the  sacks  of  gold  had  multf- 
tiUed  cs  the  weeks  drifted  on,  and  summer 
neat  was  changed  to  autmn  chill,  and  the 
mosquitoes  grew  less  tiresome,  and  the  long 
day  was  waning  towards  long  night. 

i'o  flowan,  indeed,  the  time  had  seemed 
doubly  long  since  the  far-off  early  aummer, 
when  the  great  pass  had  been  left  behind, 
and  the  udventuruus  journey  by  lakes  and 
rapids,  with  all  its  attendant  hardships  of 
boat-building  and  sledge-packing,  ended  at 
last  In  arrive!  at  the  rough  station  hence- 
forth to  be  her  home. 

The  novelty  of  it  all  had  palled.  Even  the 
reckless  flirtation  with  Count  Hubert  she 
had  set  herself  to  glory  in,  as  if  in  direct 
opposition  to  Roy^  warning,  was  losing 
point  and  charm. 

"Don't  be  afraid  I  shall  betray  yoijr  se- 
cret about  the  count."  she  had  said  to 
Francis  boldly;'  "but  I  guess  I'm  mnt  to 
avenge  you  in  the  one  way  I  know  flMr.'" 

And  then  Francis,  in  a  burst  of  worship 
and  gratitude,  had  laid  his  heart  at  her 
feet. 
He  "wMnttd  no  nwBge,  but  tti*  awett 


fioaaeaaion  of  her  love.  Oive  him  that,  and 
le  'vould  win  a  fortune  for  her,  come  what 
might!" 

Adulation  was  second  nature  to  Oowan, 
and,  though  she  iirotedlcd  a  little  ond  mudo 
stipulation  ahe  shoulil  ut  least  lie  free  from 
promise  until  her  eiiHngement  at  the  Daw- 
son City  Variety  Kiitertainment  was  con- 
cluded, she  accepted  his  devotion  as  her 
due;  and  the  caprice  to  avenge  hia  bygone 
wrongs  hecanic,  little  by  little,  a  determin- 
ation of  atronger  aignificance. 

And  it  seemed  as  if  her  ambition  waa  to 
be  realize<l  at  last  this  night,  as  she  passed 
out  into  the  grey  light  by  Hubert's  side. 

His  face  was  flushed  with  wine,  and 
there  was  an  air  of  suppressed  triumph  in 
his  voice  when  he  answered  Oowan's  obser- 
vation that  ahe  thought  ahe  had  seen  Fran- 
cis ]{uirr:i  in  the  hall. 

"Yio.  We  were  having  a  flutter  at  the 
tables,  and  I  left  him  at  a  Httle  go  of 
poker.  At  the  rate  he  was  raking  in  the 
gold-dust,  he  ought  to  break  the  bank  be- 
fore 1  get  hack.  My  star  was  so  brilliant 
to-night  she  lui-ed  me  away  from  such  vul- 
gar amusement." 

It  struck  her  unpleasantly  that  Francis 
should  be  hanging  cvei  the  gaming  table 
in  preference  to  accompanying  her  home, 
a.!  he  at  once  l>ad  invariably  done  on  other 
nights  when  he  came  into  bawson  City  to 
hear  her  sing. 

8he  found  herself  wondering  was  his 
practice  of  winning  gold  thus  becoming  a 
regular  one,  and  did  Itoy  know  of  it. 

"Fact  is,  I  wanted  to  have  a  talk  with 
.vou,  my  fair  Oowan,"  said  Count  Hubert — 
"quite  a  serious  talk;  so  you  must  come  in 
and  sup  with  me." 

He  led  her,  without  waiting  for  permis- 
sion, within  the  doors  of  a  gorgeously  light- 
ed restaurant— a  rough  shanty,  boasting  in- 
numerous  little  pine  tables,  in  addition  to 
the  inevitable  "bar." 

Oowan  suffered  herself  to  be  seated  at 
one  of  these,  whilst  her  companion  ordered 
of  the  best  the  buffet  could  OWJy- 

Again  she  thought  of  Roj^  (^  what  he 
would  think  to  see  her  theM^  Hid  a  little 
flush  of  shame  deepened  the  stage-paint 
still  upon  her  cheek. 

Then  she  let  her  cloak  drop  from  her 
dazzling  shoulders.  Iter  triumph  was  sure- 
ly at  band,  and  she  would  revel  in  it  to  the 
full. 

Count  Hubert  filled  her  glass  with  spark- 
ling fluid,  and  clinked  hia  own  tumbler 
with  hers  ere  he  raised  it  to  his  lips. 

"Success  to  my  Imperial  Oowan  and  ouf 
happy  contract!"  he  cried.  "Has  it  oc- 
curred to  you  ,  my  dear,  it  will  be  out  at 
the  end  of  this  month?" 

"Yes;  and  I'm  gisd,"  said  Oowan,  her 
eyes  fixed    demurely    on    her    champagne 
glass. 
He  laughed. 

"Olad  that  its'  time  we  nade  a  new  one? 
Ach!  isit  not  so?" 
He  laughed  again  confldent1.v. 
"I  did  not  say  that,"  answered  Oowan. 
Her  eyes  were  lifted,  and  she  was  look- 
ing at  him  with  all  the  magi.otism  of  her 
beauty  concentrated  in  the  radiant  depths 
of  those  '^rown  orbs. 

"Then  you  shall  say  it  now!"  exclaimed 
the  count.  The  already  copious  draughts 
of  fiery  spirits  had  mounted  to  his  brain, 
and  there  was  more  of  bravado  in  hia  voice 
and  mien. 

"Its'  to  be  a  much  better  contract  this 
time,  Gowan.  We've  both  had  enough  of 
Klondyke.  I  am  going  to  take  my  star 
away  and  make  her  a  countess.  She  is  going 
to  give  herself  to  me." 

Oowan's  great  eyes  flashed,  full  of  strange 
exultant  fire. 

"A  truly  magnificent  proapect,"  she  said, 
with  sarcastic  composure;  "but  what  if  the 
stai:  refuses  to  grant  an  Honor?" 

"  "'Teach  not  thy  lips  such  scorn,  fop  they 
weve  made  for  kissing,  lady,  not  for  such 
contempt,' "  was  Hubert's  bold  quotation. 
H*  lewud  aeran  the  UttU  table^  tad,  ob- 


livious  'if  the  crowded   room,   kisied   her 
lovely  mouth. 

Oowan  sprang  to  her  feet,  her  cheeks 
lilaxing  her  Ixiaom  heaving.  Tlie  triuiiipli 
she  had  plotted  for  ami  so  ardently  invrteil 
was  swallowril  up  in  the  overwheiiiiing  hu- 
miliation by  which  it  had  been  attHineil. 

She  hud  often  pictured  this  hour,  Initi 
never  thus. 

She  picked  up  her  cloak,  and  drew  it 
round  her  with  treniblinglingers. 

"Let  me  pass!"  she  iinid  in  a  voice  o( 
psssinn;  "and  follow  me  If  you  dare!" 

"Dare?"  he  repeated,  l>urring  her  way. 
"I'll  dare  more  than  tliat,  my  sweet 
(iowan!  Come,  go  bark  to  your  seat  and 
don't  lje  prudish.  It'll  hp  all  one  when 
you're  the  countess,  you  know." 

He  put  his  arms  around  her,  ns  if  again 
to  kiss  her;  but,  with  a  little  cry,  (iowait 
sprang  aside,  and  the  table,  with  its  con- 
tents, reeled  and  clattered  to  the  ((ro\in(\. 

"On,  is  there  no  man  in  the  plme  who 
will  protect  me  from  this  insolent  villliiu'" 
ahe  cried  out. 

In  truth,  she  bad  that  moment  cnuxlit 
sight  of  a  face  in  the  groups  that  hud  niRde 
her  heart  stand  still. 

With  two  strides  Hoy  was  beside  lier.  Al- 
though he  wore  the  same  rough,  high 
boots  and  mackinaw  suit  us  the  rest,  nmong 
all  those  boggard  and  bearded  luiiierH  his 
shaven,  boyish  face  showed  conHpicuously 
out  of  place;  and  there  was  a  set  look  of 
leonine  power  upon  it — power  to  <lo  or  to 
endure — that  told  Oowan  at  a  glance  he 
had  seen  that  kiss  which  still  burned  upon 
her  lips. 

"Come  with  me  out  of  this!"  he  ad- 
dressed her,  almost  fiercely. 

At  Oowan's  appeal  Count  Hubert  had  re- 
leased her  witli  a  contcniptiioiis  shrug  of 
his  shoulders;  but  the  if  hole  room  ha<l  risen 
in  uproar.  Instinctively  the  men  took 
sides,  divided  betwi?;t  reverence  for  their 
prima  donna  and  loyalty  to  her  manager, 
whose  saloon  was  the  most  popular  in  all 
Dawson  City. 

The  lights  had  somehoAv  got  extinguished, 
and  in  the  half-darkness  the  crowd  Murged 
ronnd  tire  frightened  girl  and  her  protector, 
knocking  over  tables  and  chairs  in  its 
course.  Suddenly  a  revolver  flashed  out, 
aimed  randomly  by  a  half-drunken  digger 
at  Roy,  and  accom'.ianied  by  the  udinoui- 
tion: 

"Hold  hard,  doctor!  T.*t  the  count  have 
his  pickin's!"  While  another,  mimicking 
Roy's  nationality,  hiccupped  glibly; 
"Hoots,  mon!  what's  all  about?  An'  him 
a  count,  bless  your  heart!  A  lo»s  on  the 
hall  shouldna  be  putickler!''  All  of  which 
was  met  by  an  uproarious  protest  from  the 
opposite  party  against  "Keiryin'  things  too 
far,  and,  count  or  no  cou'it,  they  wouldn't 
suiter  them  society  ways!" 

Then  all  at  once  there  was  a  whisper 
anent  a  scarlei-coated  police-orderly.  And 
whilst  the  cabin  cleared  as  if  by  magic, 
Roy  hurriedly  led  his  charge  out  into  the 
still  ni^t,  and  away  along  the  pine-fringed 
river. 

His  fury  was  too  great  for  speech.  As  for 
Oowan,  ahe  was  trembling  in  every  bmb. 

And  then,  at  the  roughness  of  his  tones, 
she  burst  into  tears,  and,  withdrawing  her 
hand  from  his  arm,  walked  alone,  weeping 
silently.  Her  piteous  dignity  would  have 
appealed  to  the  uterncst  of  hearts;  but 
Roy's  was  for  the  moment  bitterly  hard- 
ened. 

"How  could  you  have  come  to  put  your- 
self in  that  cod's  power,  Gowan?  Are  you 
in  the  habit  of  going  in  to  these  places  with 
him?" 

"No,  I'm  not!"  said  Oowan,  as  haughtily 
as  her  flowing  tears  would  permit.  "And, 
please,  what  right  have  you  to  ask,  any- 
way : 

"None,"  answered  Roy  bruaquel.v.  And  he 
TClapsed  into  a  stem  silence,  harder  far  for 
her  to  bear  than  his  rebuke. 

All  to  soon  it  grew  unendurable,  and  she 

broke  into  such  wild  sobs  that  Roy  drew 

wd  macterfnlly  ncovasaHl  her  hand. 


tmmM 


if 


8 


THE  NIGHTINGALE  OF  K.LONDYKE 


"VVImt'R  UuiK  laii't  Ijti  uii'loiie,"  li«  ■uiil, 
vtitli  luiiglk  tfiiileiDciiii.  "Jl  miiat  nuvrr 
ucTtir  u|aiii,  tlidl'ii  ull!  I  unly  frnr  u« 
)iavi*n't  (Joup  nitli  taiii||hl'it  LuhIiiphii  yel. 
Vou  rightly  itlli'it  that  man  »  villain, 
<Jow(iii  but  you  dun't  lialf  know  how  bail 
lie  ».  \Vui>'t  you  unrre  with  mr,  ul  lou-tt, 
thin  miiaichall  in  no  plice  for  you*  liovv- 
ever  tnir  uiid  pure  a  woniui  may  br,  uuih 
•  lil'p  muHt  I'oli  lipr  of  her  glury." 

lip  wamipf'uKiiiKraMii'rincolifrpntly.with 
putoned  calm,  lor  he  wun  iimrt'  moved  than 
lie  raved  kIlc  xhould  know;  and  u^ain 
</uwan  Hnalihpd  her  hand  away  in  murtul 
blfcnu. 

"Yuu  are  quite  wrong!'  hhe  rniid,  with 
liyttei iial  hauteur.  "1  liiought  all  tliia  on 
iiiynt'jl  to-night.  1  made  up  my  mind  long 
Hgii  to  make  the  man  love  me,  ju»t  to  have 
till-  pleuiure  of  Iniigliing  at  him  for  his 
jiainn,  BR  1  did!"  «he  broke  off  defiantly. 

"la  that  your  idea  of  pleaHUre— to  make 
iiipii  love  you  for  you  to  laugh  at  them?" 

In  the  grey  lixhl  Roy  wa»  looking  at  her, 
a  iiort  of  pained  reproach  in  big  gaze;  yel 
it  wai  of  neither  the  count  nor  himaelf  he 
wna  thinking.  It  wa»  of  Kranrin. 

She  laughed  through  her  tears. 

"Oh,  how  dense  you  are!  Don't  you 
IvQow  who  the  count  was?  And  I  reckoned 
I  would  |)ay  him  out  for  all  the  injury  he 
liBN  done  Ki-antis.  It  waa  all  for  Fraiic'i.i' 
■alee  1  Wanted  revenge."  She  broke  dowu 
iigai,7  and  sobbed  afieHh, 

'l"hen  it  was  true,  and  Francii  had  won 
lier  heart!  Hut  it  waa  u  moment  before 
Ruy  found  hia  voice,  no  say  aoftly,  with  ■!■ 
inoHt  tender  pleading: 

"Dear,  don't  you  believe  there  is  One 
vho  can  revenge  all  our  wronga  a  thoiuand 
tunes  better  than  we?  It  ia  (iod  who  baa 
•aiil,  'Vengeance  is  Mine,  I  will  repay.'  " 

liowan'a  atepa  had  quickened,  and  she 
was  gazing  Htraight  before  her,  with  u 
Ktrange  look  of  paanion  in  her  eyeH. 

"Why  Hhould  I  believe'?"  nlie  cried.  "If 
there  is  a  God  at  a|l.  He  does  not  love  us, 
for  He  does  not  give  us  what  we  want. 
\\'ould  a  just  (iod  let  such  a  wretch  as 
('ount  Hubert  live?  Oh,  .your  God  ia  a 
myth!  This  wicked  world  was  never  made 
by  a  God!" 

"Oowan!  Gowan!  stop!"  And  if  she 
had  turned  she  might  have  seen  the  tire  in 
Koya'  eyes,  even  through  that  dim  twilight. 
"It  is  because  God  loves  us  He  will  not 
give  us  what  is  not  for  our  good.  It  is  only 
this  hard  world  which  can  prove  us  gold  or 
dross,  wheat  or  chaff." 

She  turned  then  and  faced  him. 

"And  I  am  of  the  dross  and  the  chaff!" 
the  laughed  bitterly.  "C)h,  it  is  easy  for 
vo\i  to  keep  your  belief.  You  bury  yourself 
out  there  at  the  ireek.  You  would  blush 
to  be  seen  in  the  mu8ic-hall.  You  are  one 
of  thine  who  say,  '(.'an  any  good  thing  come 
out  of  Nazareth?' 

"Vou  don't  know  tliat  I— .yes,  even  I — 
have  saved  Francis  niKliI  after  night  from 
liaunting  that  man's  nmnbling-dcn!  You 
don't  know  that  he  is  lliere  to-night!  You 
will  be  ready  to  say  it  is  1  w  ho  have  led 
liiiu  there;  but  thjre  are  other  placea  he 
*ould  have  gont  to  if  not  there. 

"You,  who  arc  so  strong,  do  not  under- 
stand what  such  a  temptaliim  is  to  a  na- 
ture like  his.  You  don't  see  that  the  count's 
influence  is  gaining  on  your«  and— yes,  I 
will  say  it,  though  you  do  despine  me  so!— 
and  mine!" 

She  had  spoken  with  such  breathless  pas- 
aion,  lanied  away  by  the  bitteriiesn  of  her 
Buffering,  that  she  never  saw  tlie  anguish- 
ed amazement  which  had  swept  Rov's 
face.  Now  he  stopped  and  caught  her  two 
hands  with  a  passion  surpassing  her  own. 

"Gpwan,  is  this  true?  Oh,  how  blind  1 
hav^  been!" 

Iij  a  flash  he  aaw  it  all.  How,  in  the  sel- 
flibpesa  of  his  own  jealous  love,  to  spare 
himself  the  pain  of  seeing  her,  he  had 
failed  in  big  stewardship  t6  the  friend  com- 
Bitted  to  his  care.    And  a  wild  thought  to 


tell  her  the  truth  and  exunerale  hiniHelf  in 
her  eyes  rushed  over  hini  tniiiiiltunu'dy. 

''Gowan!  tiuwan!"  he  cried  out,  "I  do 
not  denpise  you!     I-    I  I"  —    ' 

Alas,  of  what  aouuiit  would  his  love  he 
(o  IhiH  womaiiheurt,  wliiili  hail  pnived  it- 
self so  Hiannili  to  the  lover  it  Hiiiigh'  to 
lave-  whirli,  despite  its  srienlilic  M-epti- 
(iMni,  had  brought  Imme  to  liin  own  clearer 
laith  that  worhlworn  qiirHtion,  "Am  I  my 
brother's  keeper?" 

His  hand;  ilrnjiped,  and  the  exaltation 
went  out  ot  his  voice. 

"Gowan,"  he  Huid  hoarsely,  "I  deserve 
your  reproach." 

rilAITKR  VII. 

Count  Hubert  had  marched  back  to  the 
Variety  Hall  in  a  rage. 

'I'o  be  batlleil,  and  by  a  wnniaii,  roused 
his  irritation  to  teverheat,  and  there  was 
a  dangerous  light  in  his  black  eyen  as  he 
made  iiis  way  straight  to  the  roulette-table, 
where  Francis  stood  staking  his  last  bag  of 
gold-dust,  which  answered  for  coined- 
money,  on  the  turn  of  fortune's  wheel. 

Its  t'de  for  him  had  turned,  und  he  was 
losing  .'viw  asrcclvleuslyas  lie  had  been  play- 
ing a  winning  game  an  hour  earlier.  Unlike 
the  count,  lie  had  no  recourse  to  draughts 
of  fiery  stimulant.  It  was  the  one  pledge 
to  Ian  C'aiheron  he  had  kept  inviolate,  de- 
spite many  other  backslidings,  and  it  was 
tni  fierce  determination  of  the  gambler 
nlOiie  with  glowed  in  the  haggard  eyes  he 
lifted  at  Huiiert's  approach. 

"I'm  broke!"  he  said  gruffly — "dead 
broke!" 

"I'll  stand  a  cut  with  .vou  to  set  you  on 
your  legs  again  in  exchange  for  a  favor," 
said  the  count,  eyeing  the  table  critically. 

"What  is  the  favor?"  asked  Francis.  But 
already  his  hand  hud  gone  out  greedily  to- 
wards a  greasy  pack  of  cards. 

"Time  enough  to  know  when  you've  won 
the  bet,"  said  the  count,  tin-owing  down  a 
roll  of  notes  with  a  short  laugh. 

The  cards  were  shuffled,  Francis  won. 
He  was  exultant  now  as  he  had  been  down- 
cast 

The  game  began.  He  l)et  the  limit,  and 
won  again— again.  His  cheeks  flushed,  his 
hands  were  trembling.  He  "raised,"  and 
once  more  he  won.  A  little  crowd  had 
gathered  around  to  watch  the  combat. 

Bets  grew  apaceon  the  issue,  as  timeafter 
time  the  opponents  "roised"  each  other- 
Francis  with  reckless  excitement,  Hubert 
with  sinster  calm,  nothwitlistanding  divers 
drinks  from  the  glass  at  his  elbow. 

At  last,  having  emptied  his  pock.tg  of 
notes  and  gold,  he  "saw"  his  antagonist,  to 
use  the  technical  terra  of  the  game,  which 
virtually  ended  it. 

In  spite  of  his  losses,  the  count  stretched 
across  the  table  and  shook  the  victor  by  the 
hand. 

Francis  was  sweeping  up  the  stakes  with 
feverish  haste.  He  had  won  a  sum  close 
upon  six  hundred  pounds. 

From  the  adjoining  saloon  still  came  the 
sound  of  liilarious  dancing,  to  the  scraping 
of  a  violin,  though  the  chilly  morning  air 
now  whizzed  in  through  the  parchment- 
pened  windows,  llaring  the  evil-smelling 
lamps. 

The  wierd  scene,  with  those  roughly-clad 
men  and  women,  suddenly  palled  upon 
Francis'  finer  senses  with  overwhelmingly 
force.  Once  the  fierce  fascination  of  the 
play  was  over  the  fever  was  dying  out 
from  hid  veins. 

He  was  beginning  to  loathe  himself,  as, 
too  often  before  reaction  had  brought  self- 
contempt  and  ang-jish  of  soul. 

"The  favor?"  he  addressed  Hubert,  al- 
most brusquely.  "What  is  it?" 

"A  mere  trifle  in  comparison  to  your 
gains,'  waa  Hubert's  reply.  But  be  spoke 
nervously. 

They  had  passed  out  into  the  grey  dawn, 
and  they  walked  on  a  pace  or  two  before 
Francis  again  asked,  somewhat  irritably 
"\Vhat  is  it?" 


He  was  to  know  all  too  soon, 

"The  simplest  thing  in  the  world,"  spok* 
Hubert  then.  "1  merely  require  you  to 
contrive  that  the  estimable  I'ncle  Mac  shall 
lie  kept  fully  enipliiyeil  at  the  Honanu 
Creek  for  the  next  two  daya,  to  prevtnt  bit 
leturn  home,  that's  ull." 

Fur  an  instant  Fruucis  regarded  his  com- 
panion in  puzzled  surprise;  then  suddenly 
u  look  of  suspicion  leapt  to  his  eyes. 

'What  for?"  he  demanded. 

The  count  shrugge<l  his  shoulders. 

"Ach!"— he  drew  a  long  breath— 'that'i 
my  affair,  iny  friend,  with  which  you  have 
no  concern." 

"Hut  1  have  concern!"  burst  the  tempes- 
tuous reply  from  I'rancis.  For  somehow 
Hubert's  airy  onswer  subtly  confirmed  hi* 
feat's.  "You  have  some  base  reason  to  wish 
for  bis  absence." 

He  lifted  his  arm  ,  vs  if  to  deal  a  hlow; 
then  overcame  the  impulse  by  a  strong  ef- 
fort. 

"Once  for  all,  I  tell  you  I  will  have  none 
of  i(!    You— you " 

Words  failed  him,  even  in  the  nitiTe  Ger- 
man in  which  they  had  conversed,  to  speak 
the  contempt  and  rsge  which  fllted  his 
heart  to  suffocation. 

The  count  laughed. 

"So?"  he  queried,  "Xerertheless,  I  Hold 
you  responsible  to  fulfil  your  i>art  of  oiir 
bet  to-night.  I  didn't  hand  you  over  sis 
hundred  quid  for  nothing.  It's  nut  the 
first  time  you've  helped  on  a  lark,  to  yoa 
needn't  try  to  fight  shy  nowadays." 

Whilst  he  spoke  Francis  had  been  eirar- 
ing  his  pockets  of  the  notes  and  little  bags 
of  gold,  the  touch  of  which  now  burnt  bis 
fingers  like  live  coals.  He  thrust  them  all 
into  Hubert's  hand. 

"Take  back  your  money!"  be  cried.  "If 
till'  devil  claimed  me  once,  he  shall  no 
longer.  After  this  you  and  1  are  done  with 
each  other.  And  I  warn  you,  if  lutnn 
comes  to  Gowan,  it  will  be  acrose  my  dead 
body!" 

"'I'hat  may  be  ver>' probable,  my  friend!" 
muttered  the  count,  his  fingers  closing  in- 
voluntarily over  the  revolver  in  his  coat 
pocket,  as  the  retreating  footsteps  of  Frmn* 
mis  died  away  in  the  silence. 

"So  the  little  Erica  has  been  ousted  by 
the  star!  Ha!  ha  I  But  the  star  is  mine — 
mine!  My  redskins  and  I  will  prove  that 
without  you,  friend  Francis!  Yes,  Qowan, 
my  nightingale,  you  flouted  me  to-nightl 
You  shall  learn  who's  master!  You  scorned 
to  be  a  countess,  forsooth!  When  I've  got 
you  safe  at  Circle  City,  you'll  be  glad  to 
own  whatever  name  I  choose  to  give  you*" 

Francis  was  rushing  blindly  towards  the 
pine-log  frame-house  on  the  river  bank. 

The  fresh  nir  blew  coolly  on  his  heated 
brow,  but  did  not  allay  the  burning  fever 
raging  in  his  brain;  ifor  it  was  as  if  a 
sword  had  been  plunged  into  his  hl^rt, 
opening  anew  the  bitter  wounds  of  the  by- 

fione  past.  The  better  nature  of  the  man 
lad  been  roused,  and  had  .'-ine  battle  with 
the  evil  part  and  had  been  victorious.  Yet 
the  victory  was  a  desperate  one,  for,  in  tha 
calm  that  came  after,  he  w^as  as  a  rudder- 
less wheck.  drifting  over  a  wide  sea. 

Gowan!  what  right  had  he  to  dream  of 
Oowan?  He,  a  gambler,  ready  to  sell  hie 
soul  for  gold  whilst  the  vice  held  him  in  its 
relentless  grip.    He  shuddered. 

And  it  was  to  win  riches  for  Oowan  he 
hod  first  drifted  back  into  the  old  down- 
ward path!  The  irony  of  it  mocked  him, 
for  he  knew,  alas!  he  had  learnt  to  follow 
it  for  his  own  sake. 

His  love  was  too  generous  to  take  refng* 
in  the  thought  that  Gowan  had  been  pos- 
sessed of  Roy'g  stronger  and  clearer  faith 
it  would  have  been  easlet-  to  itMire  to  "fi^ 
the  good  fight"  with  so  sweet  a  guide. 

He  only  realized,  all  too  {ate,  broken  r«i« 
olutions,  violated  vowD.    '  ' 

He  had  relied  on  hie  own  strength  to  M> 
sist  the  influence  of  boHcd  years.  .  He  had 
ignored  a  Redeemer,  he  had  fortottan  • 
God. 

And  he  had  failed— faiied-^failedl 


^<-iiii<Mliigii;wi.i««»-t^>» 

i^wMMnMsaMneHaMMH 


r 

When  1 

«rll  St  h 

tiniie   his 

thsuty,   I 

tiiwsrda 

fuMcia   1 

with  evei 

mure  to  t 

t/t  rescue 

Hut   w 

Francis  v 

u  I'm i ties 

HI  Ins  va 

l(  was 

at   lengtl 

Fraiicia 

Irom  the 

wuiU  at 

anxiety. 

(tale  of 

ei?    The 

nipt? 
It   wa 

tbruiigh 

vanced. 

backed 

far,  ui'.i 

yond  tb< 

miatlikf 

iiiercing 
Kov's  d< 

.Mecba 

the  doo 

atuini  si 

St.  Ben 

Ins  ears 

It  wa 

tpit     ao 

journey 

iijil  pre 

Haw  son 

The  a 

next  m 

u  prosti 
lie  St 

aliadini 

The  t 

was  lift 

ail  awfi 

the  fuci 

It  w 

quickly 

been  a 

'i'ogeth 

ill,  anc 

liowan 

fire. 

The< 

compai 

door. 

the  dof 

Gowan 

a  verit 

the  sle 

of  (Jo 

Wenoi 

Apa. 

or  tw< 

the  ac 

aside 

and,  1< 

laid  h 

No^ 

flutter 

to  his 

bis  ail 

"Th 

is   no 

runnii 

I'onsci 

to   till 

his  dc 

Till 

Franc 

cob«b 

up  hi 

vith 

Ro 

awift 

iiard' 

beyo 

mem 

■: 

ateo< 

•i. 

ii 

1 

pid,"  ■pokii 
you   to 
.Mac  ahdl 
Honanw 
brevent  bit 

|U  hia  com- 
auddenix 

■era. 

|lh-'that't 
.  you  have 

|lie  tempea- 

aonieliow 

(lirmrd  hia 

ou  to  wiali 

al  a  blow; 
I  atroog  ef- 


atire  Ger- 

U,  to  apeak 

filled  bia 


I'HAPTKR  Vlll. 

Uht-n  Huy  llendrraun  bade  (Jowan  fare- 
«fll  ut  her  cabin  door  it  Wba  not  to  con- 
tiiiiii-  hia  long  tramp  to  hik  own  diatant 
thmily,  but  to  turn  hia  atepa  once  n.ora 
tunnida  Uawaon  City.  Oowan'a  tale  ot 
Kmiicia  had  moved  him  profoundly,  and 
Willi  ever)'  ttep  he  took  himaeli  more  and 
iiiuie  lo  laak  for  hia  remiuiieaa,  Hia  work 
xl  ipiit'ue  niuat  begin  now  without  drlay. 

Hut  when  he  reached  the  Variety  tiall 
I'rancia  waa  no  longer  there,  and  he  apent 

II  Iniitlena  hour  going  from  pi  "  e  to  pla'ja 

III  Ilia  vain  aearrh. 

It  waa  with  ■  heavy  heart  that  he  turned 
>l  length  on  hia  homaward  track.  That 
Imiiiia  had  evidently  torn  himaelf  away 
I  rum  the  city'a  attractiona,  to  return  to  hia 
wiiiU  at  the  creek,  did  not  aaauuge  hia 
mixicly,  for  how  could  he  tell  in  what 
ttute  uf  mind  th«  gambler  had  gone  thith- 
ri  f    The  owner  of  unholy  gaina  or  a  bank- 

It  waa  atill  that  dark,  wierd  twilight, 
lliruiigh  the  Mrly  morning  waa  far  ad- 
vanced. Anit  aa  he  neared  the  little  houae, 
liarked  by  ^'  ,  gaunt  pine-treea,  and  the 
far,  ui  "  I','  II  (,  anow-olad  plain  riaing  be- 
yond the  river,  a  ahower  uf  anow,  aolt  and 
niiit'like,  auddenly  enveloped  the  acene, 
tiiercing  even  the  comfortabl*  warmth  of 
}toy'<  deer-akin  overcoat. 

.Mechanically  he  made  for  the  ahelter  of 
llie  doorway  of  the  frame-houae  till  the 
•luini  ahould  pan,  when  the  whining  of  the 
St.  Bernard  within  atruck  atrangely  upon 
liiM  curd. 

It  waa  the  dog  which  had  attached  him- 
tpjt'  ao  peraiatently  to  (Jowan  on  their 
journey  over  the  paas,  and  which  Francia 
hail  prcoented  to  her  on  their  arrival  at 
DowHon. 

'Hip  animala'  cry  waa  one  of  diatreaa.  The 

next  moment  Roy  had  almoat  fallen  over 

u  iiroatrate  figure  atretohed  qn  the  ground. 

lie  struck  a  match  imd    held  it    down, 

•hading  it  with  hia  handa. 

The  figur*  belonged  to  Francia.  Hia  face 
wag  lifted  akywarda,  and  in  that  dual  light 
ail  tiwful  fear  clutched  at  Ko.va'  heart.  For 
the  face  waa  the  face  of  a  dead  man. 

it  waa  no  time  for  weak  dallying,  and 
quickly  Hoy  had  knocked  at  the  door  and 
heen  admitted  by  the  ever-wakeful  Lulu. 
Together  they  carried  the  inert  form  with- 
in, and  laid  it  on  the  treatle  couch  of 
I  iowan'a  parlor,  beaide  the  glowing  pine-log 
lire. 

The  dwelling  waa  divided  into  four  roomy 
compartmenta,  two  on  either  aide  of  the 
ilnor.  The  houoe-place.  where  Lulu  and 
the  dog  kept  guard;  the  living-room,  which 
(iowan  had  done  her  beat  to  glorif.v  into 
u  veritable  lady'a  bower;  and  behind  theae 
the  aleeping  cabin*  of  Un:^le  Mac  and  that 
of  (iowan,  ahored  by  her  devoted  nurae, 
Wenonab.  ^  • 

Apart  from  the  houae  waa  a  rough  shed 
or  two,  uaad  aa  lardelf  and  fuel-atore,  and 
the  accommodation  for'  hortes.  Roy  flun;{ 
aside  IiIh  leather  mit»na  and  heavy  coat, 
and,  kneeling  down  maide  the  atill  figure, 
laid  hia  strong  hand'  upon  the  ailent  heart. 
N*— it  waa  not  ailent!  There  was  a  faint 
flutter  beneath  Roy's  touch,  and,  apringing 
to  his  feet,  he  flew  to  get  restoratives  to 
Ilia  aid. 

"The  paleface  is  not  dead!  ()h,  aay  he 
is  not  dead!"  appealed  Lulu,  the  teara 
running  doVrn  hia  mne<l  t^'^-  ^o'^>  'H  ""' 
cunscioualy,  Francis  nad  endeared  himself 
to  the  faithful  Indian  by  the  mere  fact  of 
Inn  devotion  to  Lulu's  young  mistress. 

Tlie  dog  was  fawning  careasingly  upon 
Francis'  hand  which  htmg  limply  over  the 
colKjb.  And  tt  Lutii'a  #ard«  he,  too,  lifted 
up  hia  great  head  and  looked  in  Roy'a  face,' 
vith  a  diamathowt. 

Roy's  quick  wordk  and  kindly  touch 
B>viftly  reatMWcd  both:  but  the  St.  Ber-' 
nard'a  on  had  MtiQiii.  onfi  gei>tle  sleepar 
beyond  the  thin  p<ni{t<m,  and  in  another 
memant  QvKt»'»  ioot'vinmt  Ikdc  tni  flif 
stood  in  their  midst. 


THE  NIGHTINGALE  OF  KLONDYKE 


9 


111  her  liaato  hIib  huil  only  waited  to 
throw  a  lunu  fur  clnuk  over  her  white 
gown,  anil  to  llirust  her  little  feet  in  moc- 
ca«in«.  Ilcr  thick,  brown  hoir,  "in  all  tliu 
wildnesH  of  dixlievelled  charina,"  awept  her 
slKHildeiii,  and  the  lighted  candle  she  car- 
ried in  her  hand  lent  un  ethereal  reflection 
to  the  I'nce  abme  it,  wearing  atill  the  hal- 
lowing Huah  of  aleep,  out  of  which  it  had 
hem  unukened. 

"('hum,  good  dog,  what  is  it?"  she  cried. 
And  then  her  eyea  fell  on  the  little  group 
hefofe  the  (ire,  and  the  wonia  died  on  her 
hp«.  For  an  instant  she  atood  paralyzeil, 
•  hen  darted  forward. 

Roy  had  turned  and  was  looking  at  her, 
with  a  puHfiionate  pitiful  look  Ihut  miitely 
seeme<l  asked  her  to  go  b;ick. 

"Dad!  oh,  dad,  what  is  if  '  '  gasped, 
and  fell  on  hei   knees  beside  lli'      >'stle. 

Then  she  saw  it  was  not  her  i  i  -  but 
Francia    Mhe  lifted  her  eyes  to  K<t)  a  with 


Roy  atruck  t  mttcL,  ui  fcand  tbi  llru'ii  was  Uial  ofFnueis 


the  look  in  them  the  Si,  Bernard  had  worn 
when  he  asked  the  same  fateful  question. 

"It  is  syncope."  Roy  strove  to  answer 
calmly  that  mute  query.  "He  was  evident- 
ly on  his  way  home  when  the  sudden  cold 
overtook  him  and  -vent  to  his  heart.  I  came 
upon  him  lying  like  this  just  outside." 

"He  is  not  dead?"  she  cried,  echoing 
Lulu's  words,  but  with  an  intense  passion. 
"You  will  save  him.'  6h,  Roy,  you  will 
save  him?" 

She  had  never  called  him  Roy  before; 
and  as  ahe  did  so  now,  with  that  veil  'Of 
nut-brown  hair  around  her,  and  those 
gloriouH  eyes  looking  up  straight  into  his, 
Roy  wa)  conscious  only  of  the  indomitable 
will  to  grant  her  prayer  if  it  lay  in  his 
power.  With  that  moment  he  knew  he 
would  ,willinitly  lay  down  his  life  for 
Francis,  could  it  give  Francis  back  to  her 
sweet  care. 

"Heaven  help  me,"  he  answered,  "and 
I  will  save  him!" 

•Shu  thanked  him  with  her  eyes,  and  rose 
then,  with  a  sort  of  dumb  despair,  to  re- 
turn to  her  room  aii''.  lomplele  her  toilet. 

The  day  was  ad'.uncing  swiftly,  despite 
the  darkness  that  reigii.J  supreme;  and 
Lulu  was  already  making  preparations  for 
the  morning  repast. 

He  had  just  come  from  pouring  out  a 
graphic  detail  of  the  di.saster  in  his  mas- 
ter's ear;  for  honest  Uncle  Mac,  worn  out 
with  a  day's  hard  toil,  had  been  sleeping 
the  sleep  of  the  just,  unconscious  of  the 
great  issue  of  life  or  death  so  near. 

Old  Wenonnh  had  risen,  and  stood  now 
wringing  her  hands  and  crooning  piteously. 

It  was  Gowan  alone  who  was  culm;  and 
as  their  eyes  met,  Roy's  memory  went 
back  involuntarily  to,  that  never-to-be-for- 
gotten hour  on  the  great  pass,  when  he 
had  seen  her  fuce  death  'without  a  tremor. 
Would  her  fortitude  su.'vive  tbe  strain  up- 
on it  now? 

Alas!  he  kaew  not  how  doubly  terrible 
t)wt  V^ntin  was  to  be!  _       , 

Whilst  dowan  itood  watching  Fnocia 


the  Kt.  Deinard  sprang  to  the  outer  door 
with  an  aiigo'  snort,  and  at  the  same  in 
Ktant  there  was  a  knock,  and  (.'aunt  Hub- 
ert's voice  aeeking  adniisiiion. 

He  linil  often  sought  out  his  "prima- 
donna  '  at  her  home,  on  the  excuse  ut  coii 
suiting  with  her  as  to  alterations  in  the 
evening'a  program;  but.  never  ut  so  eaily 
un  hour  as  tliia.  And,  with  the  remsn)' 
brance  of  Inst  night's  'iisult  hot  u|ioii  her, 
tJowr.n  would  have  ipIuhcU  liiin  an  inter- 
view, even  had  she  been  incpared  to  it- 
ceive  liini. 

Hubert,  however,  had  caught  sight  of  her 
figure  through  the  Huttering  iintain  which 
screened  her  parliii'daor,  and,  pushing 
Lulu  aside,  he  strode  towards  it,  calling  liur 
name  softly  but  authorit..tivelv. 

Fearful  of  his  entrance  further-  tor  alie 
was  in  no  mood  fur  him  to  tiesposa  iipuu 
that  deathlike  auene  within  -she  lliiiig  tiack 
the  curtain  and  conrrmted  him  isith 
haughty  defiance. 

The  next  instant  n 
iiieri  ing  stream  from 
lier  lipH  would  have 
rent  the  silent  air, 
but  Hubert  had  gag- 
ged and  imprisone ' 
her  too  securely  ill  a 
tight  embrace,  to  bear 
her  out  tu  a  waiting 
sleilge  at  the  door. 
Ilia  two  swarthy  In- 
dians had  fallen  sud- 
denly upon  the  petri- 
fied Lulu,  and,  but 
for  the  noble  St.  lier- 
nard,  had  sptedily 
terminated  his  exist- 
ence. 

With  a  yel!  of  rag*. 
Cluus  had  bounded 
out  upon  the  scene; 
anil  Hubert, with  cow- 
ardly fear,  as  swiftiv 
released  his  hold  upon  Clous'  niiHtress, 
knowing  too  well  such  outrage  would  meet 
with  the  St.  Bernard's  instant  retribntioii. 
"Dolts!"  he  addressed  Ills  followers 
fiercely,  "why  didn't  you  put*  a  bullet 
through  the  beast  first  of  all?  (iowan" — he 
spoke  softly,  lint  (iowun  no  longer  stood 
unprotected. 

Lulu  had  left  his  late  assailants  to  strug- 
gle madly  with  the  dog  while  he  sprung  to 
the  girl's  aid,  his  bowie-knife  pointed  omi- 
nously near  Hubert's  breast,  for  Hubert 
barred  her  retreat. 

A  stinging  bullet  through  Lulu's  aim 
from  the  revolver  at  Hubert's  belt  put  n 
momentary  stop  to  the  old  Indian's  de- 
votion; but  Herbert  had  reckoned  \uthnut 
his  host,  for  that  shot  waa  the  beginning 
of  the  end. 

Seizing  Lulu's  knile,  (Iowan  backed  with- 
in the  curtain,  her  captor  in  pursuit,  and 
there  he  stopped,  appalled. 

Well  aware  of  Vncic  Mnc'a  iiaiiul  start 
for  the  creek  at  a  much  earlier  hour,  he 
had  iiow  expected  the  mere  resistance  of 
the  aged  Wcnonuli,  and  the  unlooked-for 
presence  of  the  three  men  paralysed  him. 
That  shot,  and  the  simultaneous  cry  that 
hail  burst  from  (jowan's  now-rcleaacil  lips, 
had  done  what  all  Roy's  restoratives  had 
failed  to  do— roused  Frflnris  from  his  fatal 
trance.  And  it  was  he  who  darted  forward 
with  superhuman  strength,  thnisting  him- 
self in  front  of  the  terrified  girl. 

In  one  wild  instant  he  had  realized  the 
meaning  of  it  all;  whilst  Uncle  Slac,  an-* 
even  Roy,   stood  aiihast. 

It  was  only  for  a  second  the  count 
paused,  like  a  stag  at  bay. 

'I'hen  his  revolver  ^is  in  his  hand  again, 
and  he  was  tiring  at  the  three  men 
in  quick  sucossion. 

Francis  staugered  and  fell,  groaning,  aa 
a  bullet  whizzing  past  tore  open  his  sleeve 
and  grazed  his  arm;  but  it  was  the  genial 
old  mine-owner  who  dropped  without  i' 
moan,  ihot  through  the  heart. 


mm 


■JXy^.TJ'^.TT.l 


SSiriwwjo^SPBW" 


10 


THE  NIGHTINGALE  OF  KLONDYKE 


Before  the  count  could  iire  kgain,  Roy 
waa  upon  faiiai,  i^d  thar  were  iwaying  to- 
Kcther  in  a  deadly  itruggle  for  possession 
uf  the  revolTer,  And  tken  lb  was  that 
Uowan's  courage,  with  all  the  awful  pas- 
sion o<  despair,  reasserted  itself. 

She  sprang  between  them,  her  arm  up- 
lilted  to  plunge  Lulu'i  knife  in  Hubert's 
Wratt. 

"Hubert  von  NIcMsh!"  she  cried,  with  a 
pitlese  laugh,  "this  is  Klondvke  justice— 
a  life  for  a  life!" 

"My  darling,  you  slxaJl  not!" 

It  waH  Koy's  voice,  hoarse  with  emo- 
tion, and  Roy's  hand,  in  a  desperate  clutch 
upon  her  wrist,  that  stayed  the  frantio  im- 
puJHe. 

Her  arm  dropped,  and  with  a  bitter,  sob- 
liing  cry  she  flung  herself  on  her  dead 
ijtlier's  breast. 

Hut  tlie  faithful  St.  Bernard's  work  wan 
still  unfinished.  Fresh  from  tlie  blood  of 
tliB  Indians,  he  bounded  upon  the  scene  as, 
at  Ko.vH  relaxed  hold,  Hubert  plucked  a 
fi-eiili  itnolver  from  his  belt. 

All  loo  surely  the  dog  understood  the 
aition,  and,  with  a  howl  of  rage,  turned 
iiimii  his  enemy,  who  i-uahed  madly  out  in- 
to the  ivhirling  huow,  shooting  as  he  went. 

lint  the  end  was  at  hand.  And  as  Count 
Hulwrt'a  last  frenzied  cry  mingled  with  the 
death-howl  of  the  gallant  St.  Bernard  and 
the  exultant  shoui,  of  Lulu,  Koy  shuddered, 
for  he  knew  that  Gowan  was  avenged  in- 
deed. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

Fearfully  Roy  knelt  beside  Francis's  con- 
scious but  motionless  form. 

One  look  hid  told  him  that  good  Uncle 
Mac  had  pask,od  that  magio  "threshold  of 
tlio  world  unknown." 

For  Francis,  was  there  no  hope?  Was  his 
S!iocor  all  too  late? 

'I'he  distraught  ^\'■enonah  had  bathed  his 
clammy  brow,  iind  forced  some  fiei-y  spirit 
between  his  white  lips;  but,  at  a  glance, 
Koy  knew  that  death-like  pallor  on  his 
lace  could,nieaii  only  one  thing. 

Francis  opened  liis  eyes  and  met  Roy's 
anpiished  gaze. 

"Don't  you  worry  about  me,"  he  whis- 
pered, in  a  weak  voice.  "I'm  doue  for! 
Thank  (iod  it  was  not  you,  Roy!" 

"I  would  give  the  world  if  it  had  been!" 
wa.?  Roy's  lioarse  reply.  "Old  chap,  I  can't 
save  yo\i.  You're  bleeding  internally.  I've 
seen  mtn  go  off  like  this  before." 

"Don't  worry,"  came  the  faint  replv,  "it 
is  better  so.  1  was  not  fit  for  her.  iloy-- 
,\ou  will  hr  pood  to  her— and  take  her  away 
fioni  this  jilare.  It  Avas— aU  niv  fault.  I 
brought  hei-  hpr^-bnt-— you  will  forgive 
ine— for  you  will  have  her.  1— never  guessed 
\oH  cared— till  to-night.  Let  me  sec  her— to 
aay— good-b.ve- and    then " 

"You're  all  umnfr.  Tnan!"  cried  Roy,  his 
deep  voice  husky  with  emotion.  "As  you 
love  her,  don't  Inoallie  such  a  thing  to  her. 
T  am  nothing  to  Iut— notliing!  This  will 
break  her  heart!" 

lie  rose,  too  ovenoiiie  to  speak  further, 
and  in  another  momint  he  had  raised  (jow- 
tn  unresistingly  and  \n[  her  to  her  lover's 
Blue. 

"He's  dying,  Gowan,  and  I  cannot  save 
nm,  he  said  in  tones  thai  quivered  to  her 
heart  like  shai-p  arrows. 

I'he  dying  man  stretckod  out  his  arms. 

"Mciii  lichrheii,"  (littie  love)  he  mur- 
nuii'ed.  And  st  the  endeariiicnt  Roy  turned 
and  stole  into  the  house-place. 

"lam  going  out  beyond— (Inwan— and 
T  d  like  you  to  promise— that— that— you'll 
give  up  the  music-halls— and  some  day— I'd 
like  you  to  go  to  ICnglnnd  ajid  see  niv  sis- 
ter -Mix-and  Ian  Cameron -and  von'll 
tell  him  I  never  forgot  1  owed  evfrvthiim 
—  to  hull -and— Hoy.' 

He  looked  at  her  wistfully,  but  Gowan's 
face  was  as  chiselled  marble. 

She  dropped  to  her  kuaei.  She  was  pas- 


( 


sive,  with  a  wild  calmness  that  was  worse 
than  tears. 

"It's  been  a  wasted  life — Gowan.  I've 
failed  miserably— but  the  great  Christ— is 
merciful — and — you— have  blessed  it  at  the 
last.  \nu'll  tell  Alix  I  died  happy— l)e- 
niuse  of  you.  Kiss  me  gootl-bye — just  once, 
liebchcn — it's  not  good-bye,  after  all — but 
only— aufwiederschen"  (till  we  meet  again) 
— "you'll  believe  that  now — for  my  sake, 
Gowan." 

"How  caa  I  believe?"  she  passionately 
answered  his  appeal.  "There  is  no  one  left 
to  love  me!  There  is  nothing  left  to  live 
for!" 

Her  pent  up  anguish  gai'e  way,  and  she 
burst  into  a  flood  of  tears. 

He  strove  to  rise  and  draw  her  nearer. 

"Tliere— is— Roy,"  he  whispered.  Then  a 
gush  of  blood  came,  and  he  fell  back. 

He  had  gone  out  to  the  great  beyond. 

It  was  upon  Roy  that  fell  all  the  stern 
responsibilit-es  of  those  long,  wierd  days 
that  followea — the  reporting  to  the  author- 
ities of  Dawson  City  of  that  morning's  tale 
of  horror,  and  the  burial  of  its  victims. 

He  had  to  prove,  too,  Gowan's  ownership 
of  the  claims,  as  her  father's  sole  heir,  and 
also  register  the  transfer  of  Francis's  share 
to  his  sister,  Alix,  as  next  of  kin.  The  lat- 
ter was  the  one  point  about  which  Gowan 
showed  any  special  interest.  For  the  rest, 
she  left  everything  to  Roy,  with  a  listless 
dejection  altogether  alien  to  her  nature, 
and  which  at  times  overwhelmed  Roy 
with  its  meek  reliance. 

Uncle  Mac's  will,,  dated  two  years  back, 
contained  no  appointment  of  trustee,  or 
provision  for  the  recompense  of  such;  but 
Roy  desired  no  recompense,  and  perhaps 
because  (Jowan  had  been  left  so  uncondi- 
tionally her  ow-n  mistress,  he  accepted  all 
the  more  proudly  the  trust  she  reposed  in 
him. 

It  was  when  it  was  all  over,  and  there 
remained  nothing  further  to  be  done  but 
till'  ili.-iposal  of  his  future  and  hers,  he  rea- 
lized how  bitter  for  him  would  be  that 
parting  which  must  come  at  last. 

By  mutual  consent  they  had  come  to 
speak  of  her  immediate  return  to  San  Fran- 
cisco as  a,  matter  of  course,  despite  the 
hazardous  undertaking  of  a  Winter  jour- 
ney acinus  the  overland  route. 

Roy  had  at  first  ui-gcd  its  postponement 
to  the  (Spring,  when  with  the  opening  of 
the  ice-bound  river,  the  passage  by  the 
Yukon  to  St.  Michaels  could  be  made  with 
coiniiarative  ease;  but  Gowan  for  once  had 
asserted  her  will. 

Vvith  the  count's  death  her  connection 
with  the  Dawson  (.Ity  Variety  Kntertain- 
ment  Company  had  come  to  li  tragic  con- 
clusion, and  not  all  the  wca'th  in  Alaska 
could  have  in<luced  her  to  renew  it. 

As  for  Roy,  at  Francis  Rugcn's  grave 
ended  his  sell-imposed  task  of  heroic 
friendship;  and  now  Gowan's  departure 
severed  the  last  link  that  bound  him  to 
the  far  Northwest.' 

With  the  aid  of  small  capital,  he  saw  for- 
tune—oven fabulous  riches— within  his 
reach  to  win;  but  he  did  not  possess  the 
capital.  His  toil  had  been  the  toil  of  the 
laborer,  sweetened  only  by  the  knowledge 
that  it  WHS  the  labor  of  love. 

With  the  thought  of  Gowan  gone,  his 
bankrupt  heart  turned  from  the  golden  des- 
ert with  a  sudden,  tender  yearning  to  the 
grey  old  city  of  his  birth— the  dreams  of 
his  iKiyhood,  the  great  ambitions  of  his  pro- 
fession. 'I'he  old  life  might  be  his  once 
niore.  New  hoiies  might  come  to  him  there. 
Ay,  even  in  time  h»>  might  forget. 

"Why  should  I  stay?"  Gowan  had  pas- 
sionately met  his  demur.  "All  the  terrors 
of  the  pass  cannot  be  less  endurable  than 
this  inaction,  with  nothing  but  the  mem- 
ory of  those  two  lying  out  there  under  die 
cruel  snow,  dead— dead  for  ever!" 
Koy  WHS  pacing  the  room  witU  unwen, 


halting  steps.  He  stopped  and  stood  over 
her,  speaking  a  little  hoarsely: 

"Don't,  Gowan!  Don't  say  these  things! 
I  cannot  bear  it!  It  is  wrong  to  listen  to 
you.  It  is  wrong  to  yourself,  it  is  wrong 
to  God!  If  you  steel  your  heart  against  all 
faith  in  the  Hereafter,  you  put  from  you 
every  ho|>e  of  happiness  that  is  left  to 
you." 

He  was  laboring  under  ttrong  lelf-con- 
trol  to  hide  the  emotion  of  a  stem  North- 
ern nature  shrinks  to  betray,  and  Gowan 
little  guessed  from  what  an  anguished  soul 
that  abrupt,  almost  brusque  sentence  came. 

She  recovered  herself  by  a  mighty  ef- 
fort, and  turned  from  him  with  a  sort  of 
chilled  pride. 

•'You  are  right!"  she  said,  in  a  passion- 
ate voice.  All  that  love  me  have 
gone  from  me.  Even  Claus  was  taken." 
Words  failed  her.  She  rushed  from  the 
room. 

j\nd  Roy,  he  hurried  out  of  the  house, 
feeling  he  could  not  endure  more. 


CHAPTER  X. 
Often  in  after  days  Roy  looked  back  on 
that  wonderous  journey  southward  witli 
amazement  at  his  own  foolhardy  conli- 
dence  to  attempt  it,  and  Gowan's  cour- 
ageous endurance  through  untold  hardships. 
The  long-suffering  Wenonah,  and  three 
tnistworthy  miners  who  had  satisfied  their 
thirst  for  gold,  and  eagerly  braved  the 
dangers  of  the  pass  to  hasten  homeward 
with  their  hard-earned  spoil,  made  up' the 
parly  suppk'nientcd  by  the  Indian  carriers. 
The  most  of  the  Summer's  output  from 
the  Henderson  mines  had  already  been 
sent  down  by  the  last  steamer  leaving  the 
Yukon  that  year.. 

Lulu  and  his  little  gang  of  diggers  had 
again  been  left  in  ^iharge,  to  follow  the 
Winter  operations  of  ;  ''^-■•'^g  and  delving 
the  ground,  to  reach  the  bedrock  in  read- 
iness for  the  pick  and  sluice-box  in  the 
Spring;  but  there  had  been  no  definite 
plans  made  as  to  the  ultimate  working  and 
management  of  the  mine,  for  Hoy  h^  re- 
frained from  harassing  Gowan  on  the  sub- 
ject until  she  had  consulted  her  uncle  in 
San  Francisco. 

Three  months  had  worn  away  when  the 
long,  never-to-be-forgotten  sled-jonmey 
neared  its  end  at  last  wivh  their  arrival  at 
Dyea;  and,  once  there,  on  board  the  swift 
steam  launch  to  Juneau,  the  perila  they 
had  come  through  seemed  indeed  of  the 
far  past. 

C)ut  of  the  ■n-inding-sheet  of  the  great 
white  mountains  a  fresh,  young  world  was 
breaking,  and  on  all  the  barren  trees  of  the 
valley  Spring  had  kissed  back  the  immor- 
tal blossoms  of  hope. 

Yet  Gowan's  grief-laden  heart  was  slow 
to  take  comfort.  It  seemed  to  her,  as  they 
drew  nearer  and  neared  to  their  goal,  uo 
luture  could  be  so  fair  to  her  as  the  past 
she  had  left  behind  forever. 

A  subdued  sadness  had  fallen  upon  her, 
crushing  out  every  remnant  of  the  scornful 
levity  Roy  had  once  so  sternly  condemned. 
Sometimes  he  even  found  himself  longing 
for  a  little  word  of  her  old  playful  aouse, 
in  preference  to  the  apathetic  indifference 
to  his  iiresenee  which  his  conscious  love 
imagined  alU  too  spparent. 

It  was  on  a  fair  day  in  February  when 
their  steamer  reached  San  Francisco,  and 
there  u  wonderous  surprise  awaited  them, 
which  charmed  back  the  first  nnile  to 
Gowan's  lips. 

In  answer  to  a  letter  breaking  the  leni 
of  J<ranciss  death,  and  hi*  own  retanh 
which  Roy  had  been  able  to  aend  out  fro|tl 
Dawson  City  by  a  Gov«fiq»nent  officer,  lu 
Cameron  was  waiting  to  welcome  the  tr»r- 
ellers. 

Errolton's  was  the  first  famrUtir  face 
Koy  K  e.\  es  were  to  fall  on,  although  I«n, 
on  lis  part,  extMrienced  a  momentlry  dif. 
heulty  in  recognlring  the  once  well-groomed 
and  clean-shaven  Roy  in  the  bronacd  mllitr 
who  grasped  b  a  haod, 


''■'*''*«'''>'<«>PillHnM|f<«iM 


and  stood  over 
eJy: 

ly  theae  things! 
ong  to  listen  to 
elf,  it  is  wrong 
leart  ■sainBt  all 
L  put  from  you 
that   ia  left  to 

•troDg  telf-con- 
a  rtem  North- 
ay,  and  Oowan 
anguished  soul 
e  sentence  came. 
y  a  mighty  ef- 
with  a  sort  of 

d,  in  a  paasion- 
Dve  me  have 
us  was  talcen." 
ilied    from    the 

it  of  the  house, 
more. 

looked  back  on 
louthward  with 
oolhard.v    conli- 

Gowan's  cour- 
intold  hardships, 
lah,  and  three 
d  siktisfied  their 
rly  braved  the 
■ten  homeward 
il,  made  up' the 
Indian  carriers, 
r's  output  from 

already  been 
mer  leaving  the 

of  diggers  had 
.  to  follow  the 
■ig  and  delving 
edrock  in  read- 
Uice-boz  in  the 
en  no  drfnite 
ite  working  and 
!or  Roy  had  re- 
ran on  the  sub- 
^d  her  uncle  in 

away  when  the 
sled-jonmey 
their  arrival  at 
board  the  swift 
he  perils  they 
indeed    of    the 

t  of  the  great 
>ung  world  was 
ren  trees  of  the 
ick  the  immor- 

leart  was  slow 
to  her,  aaihey 
their  goal,  uo 
ler  a<  the  past 

illen  upon  her, 
of  the  scornful 
ily  condemned, 
limself  longing 
playful  aouse, 
^ic  indifference 
conscious  love 

"ebniary  when 
Krancisco,  and 
awaited  them, 
tint  nnile  t« 

king  the  neiM 
I  own  retonif 
■end  out  fnnto 
nt  ofiicer,  Ian 
ome  the  tnv- 

famiiiiir  face 
although  Tan, 
oracntary  dif- 

well-groomed 
ironacd  miiMr 


THE  NIGHTINGALE  OF  KLONDYKE 


11 


Hut  r.ot  nil  the  privations  of  the  wild 
jiaHs  had  robbed  Roy's  blue  eyes  of  their 
frank  gnze,  or  his  boyish  voice  of  its  ring- 
iiifr  cadence. 

True  there  was  sadness  in  the  meeting. 
The.v  spoke  of  the  dead  with  the  lingering 
rcnict  both  perforce  felt  all  too  keenly. 
.\iid  then  Alix  stepped  timidly  forward, 
and  whispering  "Kiss  me,  for  Francia' 
sake,"  put  her  arms  about  Oowan's  neck, 
wiih  a  little  sobbing  cry.  Roy  felt  anew  all 
the  bitterness  of  death  which  had  come  up- 
on them  in  the  far  Klondyke,  when  he  had 
looked  his  last  upon  that  snow-bound 
grave. 

"You  trusted  him  to  me,  and  1  would 
liave  saved  him  if  I  aould.  You  will  believe 
liiat? "  he  said  huskily.  For  Al'x  had  turned 
:imi  laid  her  two  hands  on  his,  with  a  mute 
svnipathv  that  touched  him  deeply. 

■It  was  hard  at  first,  but  now  I  know 
tliat  (iod  does  everything  for  the  best," 
was  her  brave  answer. 

(,'owan  heard  if  in  dull  despair.  Alas! 
such  comfort  awoke  no  responsive  chord 
in  lier  stricken,  unhappy  soul.  Hei-  unhap- 
piiiess  was  intensely  real,  despite  the  proud 
effoit  she  maintained  to  hide  her  despair. 

Hut  in  the  tender  companionship  of  that 
other  woman,  who,  too,  had  passed 
•ilirough  the  crucible"  of  pain,  and  come 
out  pure  gold,  the  iharp  edge  of  her  grief 
gradually  wore  off. 

Something  in  the  influence  of  Alix  s 
guileless  faith  stole  into  Oowan's  empty 
heart.  It  broke  down  the  grim  barriers  of 
unbelief,  that  years  of  thoughtless  frivol- 
ity had  built  up,  and  brought  with  it  the 
great  possibility  of  that  "higher  hope  of 
what  shall  be  at  hist." 

But  there  was  another  secret  sorrow 
gnawing  at  Qowan's  heart,  of  which  Alix 
knew  nothing. 

With  their  arrival  in  San  Fransico,  Roy 
had  practically  handed  over  the  manage- 
ment of  Oowan's  affairs  to  her  uncle,  for 
liov's  ultimate  return  to  Edinburgh  had 
poriiehow  come  to  be  an  understood  thing 
between  them  from  the  first;  and  now,  as 
the  expiration  of  Errolton's  leave  drew 
near,  Gowan  was  bracing  herself  for  an- 
other parting  she  had  learned  to  dread. 

Alix  had  been  tenderly  solicitous  m  per- 
suading the  girl  to  accompany  them  home, 
and  make  the  acquainUnce  of  barrack-town 
life  in  the  old  world;  but  nothmg  would 
prevail  upon  Gowan  to  give  her  consent. 
"Roy,  alas!  was  all  unconscious  that  the 
greatest  reason,  for  her  refusal  was  tliat 
he  himself  hid  never  urged  upon  her  to 

do  so.  .     ,    1  f  11 

It  was  within  a  week  of  that  farewell 
when  Roy  s- 'ight  her  out  one  ranfn'nfr  ■" 
her  uncle's,  hbnn',  with  an  open  telegram 
ill  his  hand.  , 

He  was  oac«  more  the  well-groomed, 
clean-shaven  Eoy  of  old;  and  «"  O"]^';? 
looked  up  Ri  his  approach,  •>"  heart 
bounded,  for  all  her  glance  was  so  csJm. 

Koy  betraved  so    j  .light  excite  uent. 

•I've  just  had  an  important  message 
for  you."  He  took  a  chair  and  drew  it  near 
I.ers,  spreadr-ig  out  the  telegram  on  the 
table  before  them.  ,. 

It  was  from  the  agent  of  a  wealthy  syndi- 
cate, then  buying  up  a  large,  tract  of  land 
in  the  Klondyke.  Several  nch  veins  had 
just  been  purchased  not  far  from  the  Hen- 
derson claims,  and  th*  syndicate  we»e  wil- 
ling to  give  a  handsome  sum  to  include  the 
latter  mines  in  their  operations. 

The  communication  had  been  made  to 
him,  Roy  explained,  owing  to  his  having 
managed  affairs  before  leaving  Dawson. 

"mat  does  uncle  say?"  Oowan  asked. 
She  was  almost  listless  in  comparison  with 

"itoy  rejoined  that  that  gentleman  had 
not  yet  been  consulted,  being  still  absent  at 
bjs  ofBca  in  the  city.  n«-.« 

"What  do  you  say?"  queried  Qew«n 
then.  A  little  ftush  had  risen  on  ber  oval 

"^^Uy  Uk*  It, « tht  expert!  who  go  o?m 


the  claims  keep  up  to  this  figure.  You 
might  never  get  such  an  offer  again.  It 
would  save  you  no  end  of  worry,  and— well, 
it  would  bring  your  fortune  to  half  a  mil- 
lion." 

He  rose  abruptly. 

"And  you,"  she  said,  a  little  tremulous- 
ly, "who  have  had  most  of  the  worry  so 
far,  you  must  let  me — "  She  paused. 

He  picked  up  the  telegram  with  an  air 
of  initation. 

"Thanks,  I  undtrstand  perfectly.  I'm 
sorry  you  hate  being  in  my  debt  so  much," 
he  continued,  with  an  attempt  at  laillery, 
"for  I  don't  see  how  it  can  be  helped,  un- 
less, say,  you  send  me  back  as  your  mana- 
ger." 

"Send  you  back?"  Her  voice  broke. 

She  stood  looking -at  him,  her  bosom 
heaving,  the  great  pupils  of  her  eyes  grow- 
ing blacker  and  wilder  with  entreaty. 

Roy  felt  his  brain  reeling. 

"(iowan!"  he  cried. 

And  suddenly,  us  if  a  strong  baiTier  Imd 
been  swept  down  by  a  mighty  iiiHhing  tor- 
rent, he  put  out  his  hands  and  drew  her 
to  him  with  a  jiassion  too  deep  for  words. 

"Not  my  manager,"  she  wliispereil  then, 
"but  my  master." 

It  was  a  long  moment  that  Roy  held  her 
in  that  close  embrace  as  if  he  could  never 
let  her  go,  and  when  he  released  her  a  lit- 
tle, it  was  to  say,  with  tender  upbraiding; 

"Little  woman,  do  you  know  that  once 
you  said  you  hated  me?" 

She  hid  her  face  on  his  shoulder  in  pret- 
ty penitence. 

"I  believe  I  loved  you  from  the  first- 
straight  away,"  she  confessed.  "It  was  be- 
cause you  cared  for  Francis  I  longed  to 
help  you  witU  hinr,  and  then— and  then  I 
came  to  care  for  him  a  little— because  he 
was  the  only  one  who  loved  me." 

Roy  stooped  then,  and  sealed  her  lips 
with  "his  first  kiss. 

"No,  I'll  not  let  you  say  he  was  the  only 
one,  for,  Gowan,  I,  too,  loved  you  straight 
away,"  he  said,  copying  her  words  w  ith  a 
betrayal  of  proud  proprietorship. 

"How  could  I  guess?"  she  pouted.  You 
never  did  anything  but  find  fault  with  me 
—you  know  you  didn't!"  ,  ,     ,     , 

She  threw  back  her  head  and  looked  up 
in  his  face. 

"lly  darling,  il  was  all  because  I  feared 
for  you  so,"  he  answered,  in  tones  that  vi- 
broted  with  their  dee!)  feeling. 

Her  eyes  dropped,  mastered  by  bis  emo- 
tion. •  ,  ..    -n 

"I  will  be  good,  for  you  are  right,  Koy. 
T  am  learning  that  at  last.  And  now  I 
shall  have  vo.i  to  help  me."  She  paused, 
then  impulsively  lifted  her  eyes,  to  repeat, 
vfith  all  the  witching  manner  of  old:. 
"I  go,  ai  from  Siberian  plains, 
To  gtrdens  of  Catbay." 


NOTES. 


The  stomach  has  four  coats. 
The  tympanum  is  really  a  drum. 
The  human  skull  contains  30  bones 
The  moon  moves  3,33.1  feet  per  secnd. 
The  sense  of  touch  is  dullest  on  f  .c  back. 
Every  hair  has  two  oil  glands  at     ith 

Eutop«  is  less  than  one-fourth  the  si«e 
of  Alia.  ,  , 

The  globe  of  the  eye  ii  moved  bjf  •« 
muicUa. 


*^ 


SWAM  SAN  FRANCISCO  BAY. 

Assistant  Chief  Wharfinger  Harry  Scott 
of  San  PY«ncisco,  Cal.,  is  the  owner  of  a 
Llewellyn  setter.  Count  by  name,  with  the 
homing  instinct  developed  to  an  extent 
that  would  do  credit  to  a  blue  Antwerp 
or  any  other  kind  of  carrier  pigeon. 

Scott,  who  lives  on  tlie  'Frisco  side  of 
the  ba.v,  has  acquired  a  habit  of  visiting 
a  certain  house  in  Berkeley,  and  is  asually 
accompanied  by  Count.  He  made  his  reg- 
ular call  one  Friday  evening,  but  on  going 
away  decided  to  leave  Count  with  his 
friends  until  his  next  visit.  Count  was 
consigned  to  the  cellar,  and,  with  the  set- 
ter's howls  ringing  in  his  ears,  Scott  bade 
his  friends  good-by  and  returned  to  the 
citv. 

In  Bomo  way  Count  made  his  escape 
from  the  cellar  in  the  night,  and  when 
Srott  reached  his  office  Saturday  I  c  tomid 
a  telegram  from  Kerkcley  telling  him  that 
his  dog  was  lost.  Saturday  is  a  biixy  day 
on  the  water  front,  and  Soott  had  not  time 
at  once  to  do  anvlhing  toward  the  rccover.v 
of  his  dog,  but  at  U  o'clock  Count  saved 
him  the  trouble  by  trawling  into  mo  oilue, 
wet,  covered  with  mud,  tired  out  and  look- 
ing very  much  ashamed  of  hinisclf. 

Count  walked  into  the  office,  feeling 
probably  that  He  deserved  and  would  prob- 
ably receive  punishment  for  his  escapade; 
but  when  Scott  greeted  him  with  a  "Dear 
old  dog"  he  feebly  wagged  his  tail  and 
dropped  asleep  right  in  the  middle  of  the 

floor.  ,  .      ,      ,  1 

Count  was  aroused  from  his  slunilier  anrl 
receiveil  a  bath,  but  imniedialely  afterward 
rosumcd  his  sleep;  and.  beyond  wagging 
his  tail  in  a  half-hearted  manner,  refused 
to  move  for  the  rest  of  the  day 

The  dog  had  evidently  traveled  a  long 
and  weary  wav,  and  judging  from  the  ap^ 
penrance  of  his  coat  when  he  arrived  and 
his  worn-out  condition,  there  m  every  rea- 
son to  lielieve  that  he  not  only  worked  Ins 
■Hi-.y  across  some  miles  of  mud  flats,  but 
afterward  swain  across  the  bay. 

MAKE  THE  MEN  MAKKET. 

There  are  few  things  that  exhaust  a 
woman  more  than  a  day  shopping.  ^  The 
average  man  looks  upon  a  woman's  'pur- 
chasing day"  as  nile  of  pleasure,  but  when 
he  accompanies  her  on  one  of  these  shop- 
ping expeditions  he  goes  home,  after  hm 
patience  has  been  exhausted,  with  a  differ- 
ent liclief.  He  learns,  too,  that  a  woman 
can  endure  ve'itioiis  and  disappointment', 
with  much  moie  equanimity  timn  he  can, 
and  he  mentally  vows  never  to  ilo  it  again. 

The  number  of  miles  traversed  is  really 
what  tires  one,  and  it  is  ,  ttle  wonder  that 
the  woman  who  does  the  shopping  .or  her- 
self and  her  entire  'amily,  as  well  as  the 
marketing  and  the  bargaining  with  the 
"butcher  aud  baker  and  candlestick  make- 
er,"  shonld  feel  the  need  of  rest  for  her 

"^"no  "inother  who  has  the  care  of  little 
children  should  give  the  precious  morning 
hours  to  anything  else  but  to  the  nursery, 
nor  should  she  let  butchers  nnd  giwers 
bovs  cull  for  and  deliver  orders,  because 
there  is  sure  to  be  dissatisfaction  if  slie 
does.  Some  wealthy  families  allow  then- 
chef  to  take  charge  of  the  hourfchold,  and 
he  collects  a  large  percentage  from  the  . 
tradesmen,  which,  of  course,  is  adtled  to 
the  monthly  hill.  Reputable  storekeepe  ; 
will  not  do  this  kind  of  business,  however, 
and  the  chef  "patronage"  >"'=«"'''•"  '~™. 
tirelv  by  a  few  men.  On  the  whole,  it  is 
much  more  satisfactory  for  the  man  of  he 
house  to  do  the  marketing.  He  will  get  the 
beat  meat,  have  his  order,,  promptly  at- 
tended to  and  save  about  twentv-fivw  jH-r 
cent,  in  the  transaction,  a*  weU  ••  tM 
1  health  uf  his  Wile. 


